Swang
Encyclopedia
Swang or Saang (Hindi: सांग) is a popular folk dance drama or folk theatre form in Rajasthan
, Haryana
, Uttar Pradesh
and Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh
. Swang incorporates suitable theatrics and mimicry
(or nakal) accompanied by song and dialogue. It is dialogue-oriented rather than movement-oriented. Religious stories and folk tales are enacted by a group of ten or twelve persons in an open area or an open air theatre surrounded by the audience.
Tradition credits Kishan Lal Bhaat for laying the foundation of the present style of Swang about two hundred years ago. Since women did not participate in the dance-drama form, men have traditionally enacted their roles.
' then appears and the artistes touch his feet to evoke his blessings. The play opens with a song ('bhait' or offering) in praise of Bhawani
, the Goddess of Knowledge:
Ay re bhawani baas kar maira ghat ka parda khol
Rasna par basa kara bhai shudh shabd much bol
(Oh Goddess Bhawani, open the doors of knowledge to me. Live on my tongue so that all I speak is pure.)
With a brief introduction about the play, the performance starts. It consists mainly of mimicry, from which the name of the theater form derives (swaang means disguise or impersonation). Also featured prominently are long question and answer sessions between the actors. Much of the dialogue is improvised and the actors must be able to trade quotations, puns, proverbs and songs at the drop of a hat. There is much singing and dancing and there is always a clown character called the makhaulia (jester). Swang theatre is traditionally restricted to men, who also play the female roles, the latter often involving elaborate make-up and costumes. But female troupes are not altogether unknown. Towards the end of the 19th century, all-women Swaang troupes performed in western Uttar Pradesh
and the adjoining Khaaddar area of Haryana
. All parts in these troupes were played by women. Sardari of Kalayat
(Jind
), Natni of Gangaru, and Bali of Indri (Karnal
) were some of the leaders of such troupes.
A single presentation of swaang may continue for up to five or six hours. There is much song and music, especially the famous Haryanvi style of singing known as Raagani.
Popular mythological themes include Prahlad Bhagat
, Gopi Chand, Bharthari
, Harishchander
, Raja Bhoj
, Kichak Badh, Draupadi
Chir Haran, and other tales from old literature. Also popular are Punjabi romances like Pooran Bhagat, Heer Ranjha
, etc. Historical and semi-historical themes include Raja Rissalu, Amar Singh Rathor, Sarwar Neer, Jaswant Singh, Ramdevji
, etc. Other popular tales include romances like Sorath
, Nihalde, Padmavat
, etc.
, who successfully staged plays titled Fasanai, Azad and Padmawat. For music and song, these early Swaang drew on khayals and chambolas. The stage was most elementary, the actors performed from a central place among the audience. The light was provided by mashals (Roman torches).
In Haryana the most celebrated artiste is Dip Chand Bahman of village Sheri Khanda in Sonepat. He is popularly styled as the "Shakespeare' or 'Kalidas of Haryana'. Semi-literate, he had a spark, a touch of genius. He polished the style of Ali Bux and gave a new color to this folk art. Dip Chand's style of performance incorporated elements from music, dance, pantomime, versification, and ballad recitation.
During the First World War, when Dip Chand's capacity for improvisation and adaptation was at its peak, the British Government made him a 'Rai Sahib' and granted him other favours.
Hardeva polished his Chambola style and made some changes to Haryanvi ragni (folk song). Bjae Nai, a disciple of Hardeva, mixed both the styles of folk music. Pt. Nathu Ram, another well known Swaangi coached a number of talented pupils, which included Maan Singh, Bulli, Dina Lohar and Ram Singh.
Ramkishan Vyas of Narnaund (Hissar
), formerly known as 'Vyas ji', is a celebrity in the field of Haryanvi Saang and Raagnis. He invented various concepts in presenting the raagnis to the public e.g. Soni and others. In addition, he was appointed Counseller and Consultants by Rohtak Aakashvani & Kurukshetra Aakashvani. Haryana Government has also declared that the dominant universities of Haryana ( Kurukshetra University, Maharishi Dayanand University, etc.) would include his raagnis in their curriculum.
Lakhmi Chand of Jatti Kalan (Sonipat
) is known as Surya Kavi (Sun Poet) in Haryanvi Raagnis. The important Swang staged by him included Nal
Damyanti
, Meera Bai, Satyavan Savitri
, Poorjan, Seth Tara Chand, Puran Bhagat and Shashi Lakarhara.
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
, Haryana
Haryana
Haryana is a state in India. Historically, it has been a part of the Kuru region in North India. The name Haryana is found mentioned in the 12th century AD by the apabhramsha writer Vibudh Shridhar . It is bordered by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the north, and by Rajasthan to the west and south...
, Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
and Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
. Swang incorporates suitable theatrics and mimicry
Impressionist (entertainment)
An impressionist or a mimic is a performer whose act consists of imitating the voice and mannerisms of others. The word usually refers to a professional comedian/entertainer who specializes in such performances and has developed a wide repertoire of impressions, including adding to them, often to...
(or nakal) accompanied by song and dialogue. It is dialogue-oriented rather than movement-oriented. Religious stories and folk tales are enacted by a group of ten or twelve persons in an open area or an open air theatre surrounded by the audience.
Tradition credits Kishan Lal Bhaat for laying the foundation of the present style of Swang about two hundred years ago. Since women did not participate in the dance-drama form, men have traditionally enacted their roles.
Features
The stage may consist of a clear circular open area, or at the most, a wooden platform about three and a half metre in length. There are no elaborate stage arrangements similar to modern dramatic performances. There are no backdrops, curtains or green-rooms. Typically, there are no microphones or loudspeakers either. An hour or so before the show, the musicians of the orchestra begin to sing religious or other songs connected with the play in order to create the proper atmosphere for the play. The 'GuruGuru
A guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the...
' then appears and the artistes touch his feet to evoke his blessings. The play opens with a song ('bhait' or offering) in praise of Bhawani
Devi
Devī is the Sanskrit word for Goddess, used mostly in Hinduism, its related masculine term is deva. Devi is synonymous with Shakti, the female aspect of the divine, as conceptualized by the Shakta tradition of Hinduism. She is the female counterpart without whom the male aspect, which represents...
, the Goddess of Knowledge:
Ay re bhawani baas kar maira ghat ka parda khol
Rasna par basa kara bhai shudh shabd much bol
(Oh Goddess Bhawani, open the doors of knowledge to me. Live on my tongue so that all I speak is pure.)
With a brief introduction about the play, the performance starts. It consists mainly of mimicry, from which the name of the theater form derives (swaang means disguise or impersonation). Also featured prominently are long question and answer sessions between the actors. Much of the dialogue is improvised and the actors must be able to trade quotations, puns, proverbs and songs at the drop of a hat. There is much singing and dancing and there is always a clown character called the makhaulia (jester). Swang theatre is traditionally restricted to men, who also play the female roles, the latter often involving elaborate make-up and costumes. But female troupes are not altogether unknown. Towards the end of the 19th century, all-women Swaang troupes performed in western Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
and the adjoining Khaaddar area of Haryana
Haryana
Haryana is a state in India. Historically, it has been a part of the Kuru region in North India. The name Haryana is found mentioned in the 12th century AD by the apabhramsha writer Vibudh Shridhar . It is bordered by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the north, and by Rajasthan to the west and south...
. All parts in these troupes were played by women. Sardari of Kalayat
Kalayat
Kalayat is a city and a municipal committee in Kaithal district in the Indian state of Haryana. It is historical town known as Kapilayat in past, named after the mythological sage Kapil Muni.-Demographics:...
(Jind
Jind
Jind is a town in Jind District, Harayana state, India.It is one of the oldest districts of Harayana. It is one of the first Sikh Kingdoms. It lies in central Haryana and is the fourth district of the Jat belt .The city is beautiful...
), Natni of Gangaru, and Bali of Indri (Karnal
Karnal
Karnal is an important city and the headquarters of Karnal District in the Indian state of Haryana.Karnal is said to have been founded by the Kauravas in the Mahabharata era for the king Karna, a mythological hero and a key figure in the epic tale...
) were some of the leaders of such troupes.
A single presentation of swaang may continue for up to five or six hours. There is much song and music, especially the famous Haryanvi style of singing known as Raagani.
Themes
Swang themes draw variously from themes of morality, folk tales, lives of inspiring personalities, stories from Indian mythology and in recent times, more current themes like health and hygiene, literacy, AIDS awareness and women's empowerment. In temple based religious theatre, Indian epics and Puranas are the major source material for characters, while the community-based secular theatre is of lighter variety. Several themes may be mixed together - mythological love, popular history, and religious themes, all with overtones of secular values. All dramas typically end with the victory of good over evil.Popular mythological themes include Prahlad Bhagat
Prahlada
Prahlada is a character from the Puranic texts of Hinduism, wherein he is famed for his exclusive devotion to Vishnu, despite attempts in the story by his father, Hiranyakashipu, to turn him to the contrary...
, Gopi Chand, Bharthari
Bharthari
Stories of Bharthari and his nephew King Gopi Chand of Bengal , who are considered Nath panth yogis, abound in the Indian folklore of Punjab, Haryana, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Chhatisgarh and West Bengal....
, Harishchander
Harishchandra
Harishchandra, in Hindu religious texts is the 36th king of the Solar Dynasty, Surya Maharishi Gothram . His legend is very popular and often told as a benchmark for an ideal life. He was renowned for his piety and justice. His name is Sanskrit for "having golden splendour".Harishchandra had two...
, Raja Bhoj
Bhoja
Bhoja was a philosopher king and polymath of medieval India, who ruled the kingdom of Malwa in central India from about 1000 to 1050 CE. Also known as Raja Bhoja Of Dhar, he belonged to the Paramara dynasty...
, Kichak Badh, Draupadi
Draupadi
In the epic Mahābhārata, Draupadi, also known as ' is the "emerged" daughter of King Drupada of Panchāla and the wife of the five Pandavas. When Yudhisthira becomes the king of Hastinapura at the end of the war, Draupadi becomes the queen of Indraprastha...
Chir Haran, and other tales from old literature. Also popular are Punjabi romances like Pooran Bhagat, Heer Ranjha
Heer Ranjha
For 1970 Hindi movie of same name and characters, see Heer Raanjha.Heer Ranjha is one of the four popular tragic romances of the Punjab. The other three are Mirza Sahiba, Sassi Punnun and Sohni Mahiwal. There are several poetic narrations of the story, the most famous being 'Heer' by Waris Shah...
, etc. Historical and semi-historical themes include Raja Rissalu, Amar Singh Rathor, Sarwar Neer, Jaswant Singh, Ramdevji
Swami Ramdev
Swami Ramdev is popularly known as Baba Ramdev. This young monk has attained immence popularity in a very short span of time. His yog-camps are attended by a large number of people in India and abroad...
, etc. Other popular tales include romances like Sorath
Dhaj, Ror Kumar
Raja Dhaj or Rai Diyach, a name by which he is better known among Sindhi Rajputs when they listen to the ballad of Sorath, is an ancient figure made immortal by his abduction of Sorath, a woman of legendary beauty...
, Nihalde, Padmavat
Padmavat
Padmavat or Padmawat is an epic poem written in 1540 by Malik Muhammad Jayasi in the Awadhi language. It is the first important work in Awadhi.- Theme :...
, etc.
History
The origin of swang is traced to Kishan Lal Bhaat, who some two hundred years ago is said to have laid the foundation of the present style of folk theatre. Another view gives credit for this to Kavi Shankar Dass, a poet artiste, who belonged to Meerut. Another notable early pioneer was Ali Bux of RewariRewari
Rewari is a city and a municipal council in Rewari district in the Indian state of Haryana. It is located in south-west Haryana around from Delhi and from Gurgaon.- Etymology :...
, who successfully staged plays titled Fasanai, Azad and Padmawat. For music and song, these early Swaang drew on khayals and chambolas. The stage was most elementary, the actors performed from a central place among the audience. The light was provided by mashals (Roman torches).
In Haryana the most celebrated artiste is Dip Chand Bahman of village Sheri Khanda in Sonepat. He is popularly styled as the "Shakespeare' or 'Kalidas of Haryana'. Semi-literate, he had a spark, a touch of genius. He polished the style of Ali Bux and gave a new color to this folk art. Dip Chand's style of performance incorporated elements from music, dance, pantomime, versification, and ballad recitation.
During the First World War, when Dip Chand's capacity for improvisation and adaptation was at its peak, the British Government made him a 'Rai Sahib' and granted him other favours.
Hardeva polished his Chambola style and made some changes to Haryanvi ragni (folk song). Bjae Nai, a disciple of Hardeva, mixed both the styles of folk music. Pt. Nathu Ram, another well known Swaangi coached a number of talented pupils, which included Maan Singh, Bulli, Dina Lohar and Ram Singh.
Ramkishan Vyas of Narnaund (Hissar
Hissar
Hissar means Fort or Castle in Arabic. Many forts in Ottoman, Safavi and Mughal empires are named Hissar. Hissar could refer to:*Hisar, India, a city in Haryana state in India.*Hisar District in Haryana state in India...
), formerly known as 'Vyas ji', is a celebrity in the field of Haryanvi Saang and Raagnis. He invented various concepts in presenting the raagnis to the public e.g. Soni and others. In addition, he was appointed Counseller and Consultants by Rohtak Aakashvani & Kurukshetra Aakashvani. Haryana Government has also declared that the dominant universities of Haryana ( Kurukshetra University, Maharishi Dayanand University, etc.) would include his raagnis in their curriculum.
Lakhmi Chand of Jatti Kalan (Sonipat
Sonipat
Sonipat , also spelled as Sonepat, is an ancient town and a municipal council in Sonipat district in the state of Haryana, India. It comes under National Capital Region and is 45 km north of Delhi. The Yamuna River runs along the eastern boundary of the district...
) is known as Surya Kavi (Sun Poet) in Haryanvi Raagnis. The important Swang staged by him included Nal
Nala
Nala , a character in Hindu mythology, is the king of Nishadha Kingdom, son of Virasena. Nala is known for his skill with horses and culinary expertise. He marries princess Damayanti, of Vidarbha Kingdom, and their story is told in the Mahabharata. His main weakness is gambling...
Damyanti
Damayanti
Damayanti , a character in Hindu mythology, was the princess of Vidarbha Kingdom, who married king Nala, of Nishadha Kingdom, and their story is told in the Mahabharata.-The story:...
, Meera Bai, Satyavan Savitri
Savitri and Satyavan
The oldest known version of the story of Savitri and Satyavan is found in "The Book of the Forest" of the Mahabharata.The story occurs as a multiple embedded narrative in the Mahabharata told by Markandeya...
, Poorjan, Seth Tara Chand, Puran Bhagat and Shashi Lakarhara.