GADAG: Innumerable stories that are still alive in our memory were not read but instead heard while resting our heads on the lap of our grandparents. The genre would range from horror to mythology, but the narration would be so captivating that the mind never strayed into the exercise of measuring the factual quotient.
Plays like The Death of a Salesman and Mousetrap have run for generations because such performances are rooted in the capriciousness of life, the entanglement of relationships, and tragedy that hangs like a noose throughout the scenes – all elements of a tedious existence.
And then, you hear the jhan-jhan of ghungrus, and suddenly a bhajan fits into the rhythm of harmonium and table, indicating that the Hagalu Vesha is back after a decade. It involves artistes disguising themselves in different characters of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata to entertain people, performing in rural and urban North Karnataka.
However, with mythological plays, they have also prepared some songs to exhort children to stay away from mobile phones and study while warning about the perils to health after the pandemic.The troupe of 40-50 comprises three to five characters while the others weave in the environment with songs accompanied by harmonium and tabla. The performance and make-up entice people, it is the songs which narrate a story.
These artistes are from Andhra Pradesh, belonging to the Beda Budga Jangam community, but are now settled in North Karnataka and other parts of South India. Although their mother tongue is Telugu, they can communicate in other languages too.
Earlier, when there were no mobile phones to ‘stream’ or a TV which is ‘smart’, these artistes were the only source of entertainment for villagers, who would welcome them with grains and food for annual fairs, cultural events, festivals, and plays. There would be a throng of children and women at their performances, sitting in a market or a street corner for 30 minutes to two hours.
Whatever people would offer for their performances, was their sustenance. Zamindars and landlords would give them cows or even a small piece of land. When other means of entertainment diluted their magic, they turned to jobs like selling plastic items, painting, and agriculture, which gradually rendered the art moribund.
Now, they can be seen performing during protests, and also visit neighbouring states like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Mahantesh Kalegar, a member of a team who recently visited Gadag’s Abbigeri, said, “We have come from Andhra Pradesh, and now reside in Bagalkot. We had a group of 70 people, who are now engaged in other professions. So, the Hagalu Vesha tradition is vanishing.
We have decided to visit some places during Dasara, Deepawali and Sankranti to create awareness on the ills of using mobile phones. Children listen to us with attention as it is new for them. We had some plans two years ago to rejuvenate the tradition of our ancestors, but the pandemic derailed it.
Now, we are going to areas in North Karnataka to make people aware of health, cleanliness and the environment. We are urging people to adopt ‘digital fasting’ or spend a day without a phone, at least once a week. Some have agreed to do it. We also need help from the government for our children who roam the cities and towns.”
TOILING FROM DAWN TO DUSK
Early in the morning, the artistes start visiting various corners of villages, cities, and towns, till it’s twilight, and then return to their tents. They do not remove their makeup for 12-14 hours, which has resulted in many of them being afflicted with skin diseases
No demand
While their profession is to perform and entertain people, they never force anybody to pay them in exchange. They prefer the setting to be a big market, so that, if their performance is appreciated, people happily offer them enough. Even when they make door-to-door visits, they narrate stories through songs, and people offer them money or farm produce
Filmi ties
A film by the same name — Hagalu Vesha — starring Shivarajkumar and directed by Baraguru Ramachandrappa was released in 2000. The plot revolves around a man who revolts against the British Raj and their tax policy. In one of the songs, Shivarajkumar performs in a tiger’s costume.