NAYAGARH: As folk art forms in the district continue to gasp for life, the traditional musical instruments are on the verge of extinction. With the increasing popularity of contemporary music among the masses and owing to lack of patronage by the government, folk artistes find it hard to keep the music alive.Local artistes claimed that the Government initiative towards preservation of the folk culture was restricted to papers only. Such is the situation that the artistes are now turning to various other professions to sustain their livelihood. For instance, nowadays one hardly finds a street singer of “Kendara,” rendering soulful songs “Bhajukina ramanamare kumara” and “Kahei mana aree mo bole kar.”
Similarly, instruments that were once popularised by saint poet, Bhima Bhoi, including “Ghuduki”, Ektara”, “Ghantakalash”, “Dhenukoila” and “Khanjani” are on their way to extinction, artistes said.
“Telengibaza”, the musical instrument in which a stick is brushed on one side of a “Dholak”, has vanished from the marriage functions of modern times. Artistes fear soon the folk instruments will be housed in museums.
“Pala” and “Daskathia,” which is a combination of Odia literature and music, is struggling to survive too. “Odissi sankirtan,” in which artistes sing songs accompanied with“Mridanga,” is losing its sheen.
In ‘Baunsarani”, a child shows acrobatics on top of a pole and walks on a rope. Originating in Kural village, this folk art which has won laurels even in foreign countries, is dying a slow death. A family which has been practising the daring art since ages, has been reduced to beggary.
Similar is the case for “Mundapota”, in which a tribal keeps his head in a dug-up hole for a long time without showing signs of suffocation. Once upon a time, “Janughantia”, in which a man with a bell tied to his thigh and a bowl painted with “Dasavatara” of Lord Bishnu, accepted alms only on street. The Rama-Parsuram fight used to be enacted on village street to entertain the village folk. This folk art had now become extinct, locals said.
Once popular, “Dhumpa Sangeet” of Khandapara has met a tragic death. Composed by Gadadhar Singh Samant, son of Pathani Samant, folk songs laced with “Sringararasa” are sung by a group of singers to the beating of the hollow trunk of “Bhendiamardan” tree hung with two ropes. With “Vendiamardan” tree vanishing from forests, this unique folk art is also struggling to survive.