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Jatra
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Jatra is believed to originate from the ceremonial songs and dance performed before a journey. Another version of this theory claims that the ritualistic songs and dances before festivals like Ratha Jatra gave birth to the popular folk theater called Jatra. Jatra can be traced as early as sixteenth century where in Chaitanyabhagavat(1548) the author Brindaban Das narrates a play enacted on the life of Lord Krishna. This is thought to be the predecessor of Krishna Jatra which spread like wild fire through Bengal with the spread of Vaishnavism. The venue of these theatrical renditions of Mythical stories was usually the temple yards, public festivals and courtyards. Now-a-days Jatra performances are done in a rectangular state and they are now performed on a myriad of topics and not merely religious and devotional ones. They are usually five act plays where loud music, grandiose dialogues and heavy makeup is used and flashy histrionics are put up.
http://banglapedia.search.com.bd/HT/J_0081.htm
This site is a power house of information on the evolution and origin of the popular folk art of Jatra. It traces the roots of Jatra to the devotional plays performed to depict the life of Lord Krishna in the sixteenth century providing literary evidence to support this theory too. It then delineates the evolution of it through the following centuries. This site also harps on the duration and rituals of a typical Jatra play.
http://orissagov.nic.in/culture/folk.htm
This site depicts the folk tradition of Jatra in Orissa and how it features as an integral part of folk theater. It rightfully points out that today’s Jatra has changed along with the changes of society and hence they not only touch upon historical or mythical or religious themes but also try to depict the burning social issues of the day too. The actors are dressed in gaudy costumes and indulge in over the top theatrical mannerism to grab and retain the attention of the masses.
http://india.gov.in/knowindia/jatra.php
This site defines Jatra as a dramatic enactment which includes music, dance as well as grand performances. Jatra form is mainly popular in eastern India and some parts of Bangladesh too. Jatra actors advocate a high octane and heavily theatrical style of acting which appeals to the masses.
http://www.indiaheritage.org/perform/folk_jatra.htm
This is charming article on Jatra written in a lucid and unpretentious manner. This site tells us that literally 'Jatra' means journey. It describes the development of Jatra as a folk art form through the centuries starting from the sixteenth century. It tells about the changes in that came in modern Jatra like the convention of singing by proxy came and Jatra moved away from mainly religious to social theme.
http://bengalonline.sitemarvel.com/bengali-folklore.asp?art=jatra
Jatra originated on popular demand to enact the different episodes of the epics like the Ramayana and the Mahabharata for the illiterate masses who couldn't read them. Jatras in Bengal were most common occurrence in the villages after religious festivals like Durga puja. However the audiences of these Jatras were not merely Hindus but Muslims also.
http://www.zeenews.com/nri/inner1.asp?aid=193130&ssid=1&sid=ART
This article reinforces the view that Jatras, as a popular folk theater of Bengal, continues to thrive because of their fiery and energetic performance. It sums up the origin and evolution of Jatra through the ages and depicts the current trends in Jatra. However, it does remind us that due to western influence the future generations are gradually loosing interest in this popular art form.
http://www.thestatesman.net/page.arcview.php?date=2007-01-11&usrsess=1&clid=22&id=170624
This article, from this esteemed newspaper site, is a burning testimony to the enduring appeal of Jatra among the masses of Bengal. Contrary to be belief the art of Jatra is on the wane, Jatra troupes from Chitpur, the Jatra hub of Calcutta, claim that nearly 2.5 lakh people in Bengal enjoyed the Jatra performances of 50 Jatra groups this winter.
http://www.indianetzone.com/dances/1/west_bengal.htm
This site contains another interesting compilation of trivia about Jatra and its evolution through ages. It regales us with details about Jatra that these are usually four hour long plays with high melodrama and loud songs and flashy props .But due to their skillful, though a bit maudlin rendition of popular religious or social topics, they remain popular among the masses.
http://in.news.yahoo.com/060626/48/65f2b.html
This site is a proof of the changing trends in the current Jatra scene. Now there are remakes of films like Sholay in their Jatra version. Stars from television and Bengali movies are often roped in to play lead roles. However the owner of a Jatra company rightly laments that the spirit of Jatra has been lost since Jatra requires a different school of acting in which these actors are not trained.
http://www.screenindia.com/sep17/tele1.htm
Want to add a bit of filmy glamour to your Jatra experience? This article does just that. In an interview for a film magazine, actress Moon Moon Sen explains what Jatra is and why she had been working on them these days rather than films. This makes for quite an interesting read.
These sites seek to capture the spirit and essence of the popular folk art of Jatra and its evolution through the ages
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