Gavari
gavari also spelt gavri day long festival celebrated july september year mewar region rajasthan india year bhopa shaman mewars bhil community petition goddess permit villager perform gavari ritual accompany week touring average wait time consent – year ritual cycle begin must also successfully invoked daily ceremony visibly possesses one troupe member dance drama begin ritual proceed participating community form dispatch gavari company member troupe crisscross mewar performing daylong village ceremony total gavari troupe total play quarter million people annually day gavari season player practice strict austerity maintain reverent contact living earth immanent spirit avoid sex alcohol meat also shoe bed bathing eating green might harm insect life eat single meal day season final day troupe return home village last performance closing ceremony cycle end immersion rite return goddess fertility water night raucous celebration gavari troupe repertoire may include classic traditional tale new one still evolving overarching theme sacredness natural world radical human equality feminine nature divine value reflected traditional bhil society environment revered hierarchy abhorred woman enjoy greater right status community outside among gavaris many mythic drama two popular often repeated badalya hindawa banyan swing bhilurana king bhils badalya hindawa recount goddess regreened earth lifeerasing flood fiercely defends thereafter greed stupidity harm playlet feature powerful guru loses disciple beneath sacred banyan tree demand local king destroy illicit source power unnerved king complies tree cut goddess devi sister outraged desecration slip court disguised acrobatic dancer exact revenge lure king close artistry reveal true nature indict cowardice sacrilege mortally terminate reign bhilurana tale composite leader representing five century bhil resistance intrusion kind play compress conflates armed might turkic mughal british invader depicts goddessinspired bhil warrior finally driving away daring ambush sabotage shrewd guerrilla tactic play end celebration salutation goddess clear warning interloper never violate nature sovereignty gavari drama emphasis inspired improvisation rehearsal memorisation beginning end gavari drama known thing transpire highly mutable script many player illiterate farmer labourer individual play continue hour contain long soliloquy dialogue performed particular troupe four five year flexible intuitive improvisational method encourages wide range creative expression leading diverse interpretation story across various village player strive perform receptive trance known bhava resembles fluid creative state musician athlete call flow zone depending day play selected single gavari troupe present dozen different character goddess avatar god demon historical figure sacred animal corrupt official etc constant role exist outside drama budia figure twin rai devi consort kutkadia master ceremony woman allowed tour actor troupe due day menstrual isolation bhil woman observe month consequently female character portrayed men budia embodies powerful fusion shaivite demonic energy vital protective gavari figure distinguished dramatic horse hairfringed mask sacred staff twin rai consort day gavari ceremony budia character three main duty circling arena opening invocation opposite direction dancer seal protect energy field generating patrolling arena perimeter dance drama sequence prevent audience member entering player area shaman circle unless clearly entranced periodically holding court arena edge rai escort accept offering behalf troupe confer blessing every gavari village iconic budia mask treated sacred object often handed generation many speculative theory gavaris genesis true age origin unknown according one hypothesis may begun rural mewar end th century mewaris largely regained control land life mughals rajput court gratefully awarded mountaindwelling bhil brother unprecedented recognition vast tract fertile agricultural land latter boon gradually drew bhils forest encampment began transition village agriculture th century hypothesis thus hold settling seminomadic people created nostalgia adventurous heritage others assert gavari began rd th century gujarat still others old bhil culture date back four millennium gavari troupe perform two distinct invocation ritual first used ask goddess permit village perform gavari cycle invocation held every mewari bhil community shortly full moon hindu month shravana usually fall august monsoon planting season end second confirm presence participation start day performance invocation require incense flower chanting madal drum thali cymbal music shaivite trishula kindling dhuni fire initial sanction invocation usually held darkened sanctuary attended small group bhopa shaman village elder veteran gavari player villager gather outside await decision delivered possessed trembling bhopa proceeds channel spirit explains wont allow perform year typical reason refusal include discord village shrine disrepair poor monsoon crop blight etc must dealt satisfactorily petitioning daily confirmation invocation performed around altar center gavari arena shaman musician senior player gather tight circle rest player occasionally villager dance counterclockwise around core create welcoming energy field guardian budia figure circle dancer opposite direction seal energy protect misuse goddess spirit arrival presence signaled one bhopas falling trembling bhava trance additional ritual instrument employed following manifestation deity include peacock feather scepter utilized emphasize convey dynamic energy possession well sturdy saankal chain tranceinduced participant frequently use strike back successful invocation several visible effect first connect village shaman goddess spirit audibly articulate concern request second infuse gavari player creative inspiration ably enact role finally overwhelm villager sense wonder grace bliss entranced villager may welcomed shaman circle approached healing blessing member crowd possessed often later report feeling great exhilaration selfless unity surrounding life experience reinforce bhils belief gavaris power inalienable equality sacredness natural world gavari beauty power natural world ultimate expression divinity wilful heedless damage diversity health future thus regarded shortsighted suicidal also criminal blasphemous view seed seven generation sustainability among many indigenous tribe current widespread battle safeguard water resource endangered ecosystem biocultural diversity gavari righteously egalitarian disrespectful unjust authority drama vividly depict celebrate dispatching powerful official guru merchant either mocking scorn villager sword goddess protective maternal rage authority figure spared playlet happily lampoon king hindu god like krishna even charlatan bhopa shaman healthy skepticism skit reflected encouraged rural mewar along similar art formspractices subcontinent helped birth india right information act hailed significant change indian democracy since independence gavaris itinerant format continues closely network promote solidarity among mewars scattered rural village well constituent caste religious community rich mythic historical repertoire also help keep tribal youth aware heritage gavaris comedic skit farm finance greedy middleman corrupt merchant offer villager wry lesson real world commerce economic selfdefense especially regard crop broker moneylender credit scam urban conception wealth gavari tightens intercommunity bond month itinerant village visitation solidifies bhils’ sense responsibility world far beyond neighboring field although bhils play role ceremony gavari performance also internally solidify community involving caste community age group preparation audience delight gavari tradition home fallen hard time rajasthans government school forbid bhil student truant accompany village gavari troupe monthlong pilgrimage alone potentially lethal since gavari script school way learn ceremony art story apprentice participant add accelerating exodus working age youth metro center search employment average size number rural gavari troupe continues decline also positive local bhil organization also becoming active promoting gavari core value first english language introduction gavari available lobbying underway sangeet nakat akademi unesco recognition gavari globally significant intangible cultural heritage treasure increasing number gavari clip appearing youtube japanese scholar initiated innovative economic study gavaris societal benefit udaipurs west zone cultural centre started presenting film sample gavari artistry local ecofestivals also introducing tradition urban audience udaipur district collector rajasthan chief minister vasundhara raje mobilized local agency ngo create rediscovering gavari multiyear program promote gavari ancient folk art miracle spiritually arousing artistically surprising historically mysterious rediscovering gavari program invited rural troupe perform ceremony different day iconic udaipur setting unprecedented event exposed thousand tourist townsfolk gavari first time sparked rare blaze medium attention followed first gavari presentation delhi national tribal carnival attended prime minister modi offered lavish praise encouragement mewar gavari facebook page gavariinfo website