Vadodara-based couple—Jayshree Dani and Rajesh Dani—was elated from the experience they had while performing Bhavai—a Gujarati folk dance—at Gujarat pavilion during the India International Trade Fair in Delhi recently.
Their Bhavai production under Sanskruti Theatres dance group evoked a lot of appreciation from the audience. And the feather in the cap was the silver medal that the Gujarat pavilion won beating thousands of exhibits.
Talking about Bhavai—a term derived from the Sanskrit word bhava that means expression—Rajesh
explains that it is a popular folk theatre with strong social message.
“The messages keep on changing with time. We have performed on environment, cleanliness, global warming, save the girl child and universal brotherhood, and peace,” says Rajesh, who, along with his wife, established the Sanskruti Theatres in Vadodara in 1990.
Since then, they have been performing and teaching various folk art forms in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
One of their students sums up that Sanskruti Theatres for her is a place that reminds her of the traditions, values and culture in a graceful manner.
Bhavai is performed with traditional costumes and music. It incorporates acting, singing, dancing, poetry, vivid costumes and subtle sarcasm laced with humour conveying the message.
Jayshree, who grew up seeing Garba at her ancestral village of Mota Akandiya, says, “Garba flows in my blood as I hail from Saurashtra.” Many folk dances find their origin in Saurashtra. She also recalls participating in Sheri Garba (neighbourhood Garba) in Vadodara, when she was 10.
“Though earlier women didn’t participate in Bhavai, now they do,” says Jayshree, who learnt arvachin (contemporary) Garba from Neeldhara Desai in M S University of Baroda. However, at Rangavali theatre and later in Sanskruti, she started doing Bhavai that is also performed during Navratri to worship goddess Durga.
Last summer when they performed Bhavai on cleanliness under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan at a school with a strength of 400, their effort was much applauded.
Bhavai is mainly performed to create awareness. So, when bhungal—a four feet long copper pipe instrument—is played, its strong note awakens the audience. Accompanying it are musical instruments like the pakhawaj (drums), jhanjha (cymbals), sarangi and the harmonium.
Rajesh says, “A Bhavai play starts by paying obeisance to Goddess Amba by the nayak (the central character) followed by an actor with face covered with a plate who enters representing Lord Ganesha.”
During Navratri festival, Jayshree is one of the most coveted Garba performers in Vadodara, her forte being Prachin Garba as well as Arvachin Garba (ancient and contemporary Garba).
“I used to lead the dance section of an amateur theatre group of friends, Rangavali theatre. I met Rajesh, who used to perform Bhavai for Rangavali, when I was studying at M S University. Today, Sanskruti is a leading cultural organisation of Vadodara,” she says.
Following in her parents’ footsteps, Chitrangada also performs and choreographs Prachin Garba.
“Whenever I perform solo internationally, it is usually Kathak,” says the Kathak Visharad and a master’s in climate change from the UK. She also helps them in preserving and promoting the folk culture of Gujarat by performing along with them.
In their theme-based programme titled Lokmela, they present the rich cultural heritage of Gujarat through folk dances. The performance always ends with a Bhavai based on some contemporary issue using satire.