Tamasha

There are approximately 10,000 artists in 450 troupes who perform in this satirical rural theatre. No personage is too lofty - all are made fun of, be they politicians or prophets. There is evidence to believe that Tamasha developed in the sixteenth century for the entertainment of the Mughal troops stationed in the Deccan plain. The word Tamasha is Persian and means fun or entertainment. This form is probably an amalgam of several different influences, some traceable through the centuries. Some scholars offer that this bawdy theatre has developed out of the debris of two forms of Sanskrit drama - the prahsana and the bhana.

The performance itself has reflections of kathak, kavali and ghazal songs, dashavatara musical dramas, the dramatic poetry of bhand, religious songs and religious plays! Every performance commences with a devotional song and is followed by the dramatic sequence known as gaulan. The vag, a short dialogue play, succeeds the gaulan , and has risen in importance despite its late introduction in the nineteenth century. Songs and dances do not intrude upon the vag. The troupes following the established tamasha routines do not include the vag. These troupes are known as sangeet baaris (song troupes).

However, it is the love songs (lavanis) that are the heart of tamasha and are exceedingly popular. Lavanis emerged in the period of the Peshwas (1707-1818). Musicians employ the dholki drum, tuntuni (a single string instrument), manjeera cymbals, daf (a tambourine-like instrument with a single leather surface), halgi (smaller daf), the metal triangle called kade, the lejim (an instrument with a jangling sound), the harmonium and ghunghroos (ankle bells).

Two communities - Kolhati and Mahar - have been associated with tamasha . The poet singers known as shahirs composed many a narrative and love song that touched artistic heights unthinkable for tamasha. More recently, a new, obscenity-free version of tamasha has evolved. This is the loknatya theatre.

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