Behrupiyas leave a lasting impression with their performances, but like most things traditional, their art form, too, is dying
Babloo is a behrupiya—an impressionist who practises a traditional art form that is several centuries old. Similar to street theatre, it is usually performed in villages. In the old days, behrupiyas were the main source of entertainment everywhere—from village squares to royal courts. The kings would employ them as spies, too, because they were adept at changing appearances and looks. Today, Rajasthan is home to the maximum number of behrupiyas in India.
Initially, the costumes and characters were inspired from mythology, but now behrupiyas can be seen in many getups—from police inspector and dacoit to Charlie Chaplin, Gabbar Singh and other popular film characters. Many a time, villagers take a behrupiya for a real policeman or a dacoit, and this expertise earns him reward and recognition. Each behrupiya has his own set of villages that he travels to every year, usually during the harvest and festival seasons.
This story is from the November 05, 2017 edition of THE WEEK.
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This story is from the November 05, 2017 edition of THE WEEK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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