Tuesday, March 2, 2010
our trip to Shekhawati
The chang is a large drum, performed by men at the time of Holi – the festival of colour where brightly coloured powder is applied to the face, or thrown about in raucous colourful fights. The festival says goodbye to the winter and greets the oncoming hot season.
It is not a professional or structured dance, and villages perform different variations. The songs address similar themes, however: Ram and the great epics, the relationship between a man’s wife and his brother (the Devar/Bhabhi or younger-brother-in-law relationship/wife-of-elder-brother) – a playful, teasing relationship which receives special attention during Holi. Performers also sing about the way Holi was ‘played’ in the court of King Dashrath.
Traditionally, chang were played only for Holi, and then destroyed to commemorate the new season.
It is not a professional or structured dance, and villages perform different variations. The songs address similar themes, however: Ram and the great epics, the relationship between a man’s wife and his brother (the Devar/Bhabhi or younger-brother-in-law relationship/wife-of-elder-brother) – a playful, teasing relationship which receives special attention during Holi. Performers also sing about the way Holi was ‘played’ in the court of King Dashrath.
Traditionally, chang were played only for Holi, and then destroyed to commemorate the new season.
on Wednesday 17th March, JVF went on a trip to consolidate links with the artists of Pabusar, and once again see the Chang players play, dance, and sing:
(photos - James Boyd)
Labels: photos
