SALIENT FEATURES OF BHAONA

Arup Saikia 

(arupsaikia07@gmail.com) 

 The Bhaona culture of Assam remains different from modern drama for the basic characteristics of Ankiya Bhaona. The basic characteristics have two features; one is theoretical, and the other one is practical. The bhaona rules and research in theory aren’t the same as practical performance. But the people have to maintain the consistency between the two. Many factors cater to the accomplishment of a bhaona or drama. These are mainly theme, source, flavour, mask, dress, ornaments, costume, light, tune of songs and dialogues, movement of hands, pronunciation, direction, drama selection, gesture, repertoire of musician, new adaptation, and the righteous end.

Regarding the naming of Ankiya, it’s widely discussed in our other articles. But the term Bhaona may come from “Bhavna” (to think). But the “Bhau” means acting. So it’s not unnatural to add anything with the above prefix. Previously in Sanskrit literature, the dramas were also called “Naat.” Besides, the names of “Yatra” and “Natak” were also prevalent during the times of Sankardeva also. So, the word “Bhaona” is totally indigenous to Assam. The name itself authenticates its uniqueness. But our two Gurus, Sankardeva and Madhavdeva, have created two different types of drama in the name of Ankiya.

CONTINUITY: The skeleton of Bhaona is taken from the Sanskrit drama. Sankardeva adorned it with the other dramatic ornaments. Sankardeva and Madhavdeva used the artificial Brajawali language in a few of their Bhaona dramas. But these dramas opened the dignified floodgate of old Assamese prose. The features of the Brajawali language have changed in the course of time. Nowadays, very few people understand Brajawali. But it’s a matter of significance that some Assamese writers are still writing the Bhaona dramas in simplified Brajawali. This instance is very rare in literary history. The Bhaona was created in the middle of the fifteenth century. Upper Assam, including Majuli, has adopted the vernacular Assamese language, Bhaona, gradually since the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Dr. Maheswar Neog classified this as “Pseudo Bhaona.” Only the few Ankiyas of the two saints are performed in its script’s language. But the changes are visible during the time of Sankardeva itself. His two most popular holy books, the Kirtana and Dasama, are written in old Assamese language. This has echoed a sense of acceptance among the masses. This is the first entry of Assamese language in Sankari or Vaishnavite literature. Later, satradhikars (heads of monasteries) sustained the trend. But in some pockets, especially in middle Assam, the people are still presenting and writing in the line and tune of the Brajawali language. The same cultural and literary sensibilities are a precious living example of Assam, unlike other Indian states. But Bhaona is transformed into a mass culture of Assam. So Nabin Chandra Sarma terms it as a folk festival.

SECULARISM: The Bhaona was originally born out of religion. But its mass and popular appeal broke the religious boundary. Gradually the Bhaona became the national drama of Assam, especially from the nineteenth century onwards. The Bhaona is used to perform as a non-religious event in many state occasions. Ahom monarch Rajeshwar Singha showed his Manipuri counterpart a grand gala performance of Bhaona. The people with varied religious backgrounds attended the occasion. Moreover, during the golden jubilee celebration of Queen Victoria in 1887, a bhaona was held. Assamese litterateur Lakshmi Nath Bezbaruah said in “Namdharma Tattva” that devotional prayer songs are code words to call upon God. Likewise, the names of Hindu gods used in Bhaona. People can simply consider them as characters of the drama. The secular credentials of Bhaona can only cater to maximum popularity.

THEME: Sankardeva, Madhavdeva, and other contemporary saints wrote Bhaona dramas from the stories of the Mahabharata, Ramayana, and Bhagawat Purana. But later many writers started to write imaginary and other puranic plots. Some narratives are written only for entertainment purposes only, in no way related to Krishna-centric devotion. To forcefully sustain the format of Bhaona, irrelevantly devotion is added. The irrelevant devotion is a different thing. But the performance of Bhaona for general public amusement is a symptom of cultural longevity.

SONGS: Songs are indispensable in Bhaona. From entry to the end, the songs hold the beautiful genre of expression. The actors deliver dialogues in lyrical wordings in crucial and emotional scenes. The soothing melody elevates the literary value of the Bhaona drama. The Ankiya songs have much in common with the Borgeets. Even the post-Sankari dramatists also maintain this trend. Some songs of “Nam-Prasang” or “Khol-Prasang” are taken from the Ankiya dramas. The Vaishnavite scholars also never try to differentiate between the two. The head of Vaishnavite monasteries wrote many Bhaona dramas. Their disciples also very respectfully endorse these drama songs for Nam-Prasang” or “Khol-Prasang” from generation to generation.

PARTS OF DRAMA: Geet, Bhatima, Sloka, Sutra, Katha, and Nach are the main ingredients of Bhaona. The Geet is simply a song. It’s likely to be the celestial Borgeets. The bhajan is a product of rhythmic words of praising and praying. The Bhatima is actually the song of Bhat. The Bhat or Bhatta may be related to Bhakta (devotee). Linguistically, the Bhatta means prayer reader. They read holy books and pray. The language of Bhatima is also Brajawali. There are various kinds of Bhatima, namely Naat, Raj, and Deva or Guru Bhatima, which are discussed in earlier chapters (Musical beauty of Ankiya Bhaona). But there are many subsections of the Bhatima, especially in naats (drama).

1: Sutradhara Bhatima/Opis—It’s a presentation of the drama. Sutradhara says in brief about the drama chanting the name of God. It’s sometimes confused to be “Opis.” The “Opis” is also a second explanation of the drama after the “Nandi sloka.” The Nandi sloka (benedictory verse) and Nandi geet (song) are two different subject matters. The Nandi geet illustrates more comprehensively. Sometimes Nandi geet is replaced or not written. Instead of Nandi geet, the Bhatima is sung by sutradhara. To specially signify, it’s called “Atha Bhatima.” But the “Atha” isn’t related to meaning in Brajawali or Assamese language. The Kaliya Daman, Parijata Harana, and Patni Prasad are good examples of it. But in some dramas, like Arjun Bhanjana, there are neither Nandi geet nor Bhatima.

2: There’s another kind of sutradhara’s Bhatima also available. It’s used to describe some crucial or important scenarios. The perturbed mindsets of the actors are focused through sutradhara besides the actors’ dialogues. Nowadays the emotional scenes of the reintroduction between Karna and Kunti are described by the sutradhara with background music. It may be Bhatima or melodic poyar (lament).

3: Some Bhatimas are delivered by the actor itself. It’s like sutradhara’s Bhatima also. The difference is the performer. Instead of sutradhara, the actors recite the important scene. During the “Kapat Nidra” (hypocritical sleeping) of Lord Krishna, brother Balarama abused Krishna for partiality. The Lord Krishna vividly recounts the incidents utilising Bhatima in support of His defence.

4: There is also another Bhatima, like “Atha Bhatima,” sung by the sutradhara. But this is at the end of the drama. It’s a kind of benedictory verse, seeking blessings for any fault of the actors, musicians, singers, sutradhara, etc. So it’s called “Mangal Bhatima” or “Mukti Mangalam Bhatima.” Moreover, all the people present there were immersed in deep spirituality. Therefore, sutradhara prays for the welfare of the audience also. The sutradhara follows specific styles of dancing in the first “Atha Bhatima.” But there’s no direction or rules for “Mangal Bhatima.” But it’s not compulsory to have “Mukti Mangalam Bhatima” in all the plays of Bhaona. Even Sankardeva hasn’t written this Bhatima in his drama “Patni Prasad”. The four above-mentioned are the noticeable utilisations of “Bhatima.”. 

SLOKA, SUTRA, KATHA: The Bhaona is started by the nandi sloka of the sutradhara. The slokas are old writings in the Sanskrit language. The sloka itself is a Sanskrit word that means hymn or sound. The sloka is a couplet of Sanskrit verse that prominently adorns its literature. Some actors in Bhaona, especially holy men or saints, also sing sloka as dialogue.

Sankardeva takes the idea of sutra from the Sanskrit drama with some modifications. And the katha means prose. The non-poetic dialogues with various rhythms are “katha.” But the Brajawali prose in Ankiya Bhaona seems to be partially poetic for its tune. Sankardeva and Madhavdeva haven’t written prose as such.

NACH: The Nach (Dance) is indispensable in Assamese or Ankiya Bhaona. The Indian religions are festive-centric. The fanfare is a strategy to draw attention. The songs and dances are daily rituals of Vaishnavite culture in monasteries. But originally the Sanskrit “Natya Shastra” importantly hasn’t advocated for dance performance. That principle remained in theory only. From “Purba ranga” (Orchestra) to Mukti Mangalam Bhatima, all are performed through dances. The entry, exit, and fighting scenes of the actors are systematically directed dances only. Almost all the Vaishnavite dances originate from or are part of Ankiya Bhaona. Some prominent mythological characters, villainous or pious, have fixed entry songs or rhythms. The styles and tunes are sometimes borrowed for inconsequential characters from the existing ones. The dances beautifully present the actors’ excitement of sorrows and joys. Most of the Sankari dances are evolutions of indigenous arts. (Details written in the article– Sankari dance and tradition).

The dances start with Gayan and Bayan, followed by sutradhara. The music is a little different from Assamese monasteries to monasteries. The Bhaona dances may be performed with music only without songs with the same raga and tala.

GANDHA: Another important ceremony, before the day of Bhaona, is Gandha. The Gandha is actually a performance of the orchestra (Gayan & Bayan). It’s called “Jura prasang.” The Jura and Prasang denote the pairs of Gayans, Bayans, and occasions, respectively. A “Ghosha” is added at the end. That is the significance of “Gandhar Jura.” This “Ghosha” is sung with a complete Sankari orchestra. The “Taal” may be ektali, jyoti, etc. As the ‘Xatras’ have different “Sanghati”, their styles of “Jura” performance are also different from ‘atra’ to ‘Xatra.’.

Sometimes “Ganika” is wrongly construed as “Gandh”. The “Ganika” is also “Jura” performance. The word “Ganika” may come from “Gaan” (song).

BAHUWA: It means clown. It’s an extra character of Bhaona, not directly related to the story. Sankardeva used the word “Basuwa” in the Parijata Harana and other dramas. The attendants or companions of saint Narad are named as Basuwa. The term Bahuwa may come from Basuwa. The general public amusement in Bhaona through Bahuwa is a good sign of popularity.

EXTINCT BHAONA: After the demise of Sankardeva, many genres of Bhaona have been developed. Some have survived, and some disappeared.

1: PHAUJIYA BHAONA: It emerged in the eighteenth century in the monasteries of Majuli. But it’s staged popularly only after the eighteenth century. The meaning of the “Phauj” is group. The “Phaujiya” is an adjective form of the “Phauj”. The large number of people’s participation in “Purba ranga” may be an assumed reason for the given name. The many other characteristics of Bhaona remain the same. The “Nandi geet” is also available as in Ankiya. But the main changed significance of the Bhaona is its language and music. A new language was created by admixturing Brajawali, Hindi, Sanskrit, Assamese, etc. Instead of “Melanor raga” in Borgeets, here “Bandha raga” is created and applied. But it hasn’t gotten a long foothold and eventually diminished. The observers contemplate the alien or new language as the factor for waning popularity. The Kamalabari xatra of Majuli once organised this Bhaona.

BENGALI INFLUENCE:

1: Dhura/Jatra/Palla.

Dhura is a bhaona in the Bengali language. But later performed in Assamese language also in Kamalabari satra and Barpeta towards the end of the nineteenth century. The songs are called Dhura of “Bandha raga,” unlike having raga and taal of Sankardeva and Madhavdev. The sutradhara is replaced by a character “Mul,” which means main. So the “Dhura” may come from “Dharani,” meaning the world or foundation. The Jatra and Palla are festivals of the Bengali language. Like Dhura, gradually presented through vernacular/Bengali language in Majuli and across Assam. Nowadays, both are available in some parts of Assam.

Finally, after Brajawali, only “Matribhashaar Bhaona” (Assamese) remains as the most popular Bhaona in Assam.

(Arup Saikia is a cultural enthusiast, Bhaona artiste, noted writer, and alumnus of the University of Delhi.)