Karnataka Folk Theatre
Janapada Medley

A group of actors travels from village to village enacting plays. Any open house, Village Square, street or a mandapa can be their stage. They prop up a blanket to construct a stage and back stage and begin their performance – usually at night.

This is one aspect of the folk theatre of Karnataka – Bayalata (open air theatre). The Bayalata has taken its form from religious ritual of which the most important aspect is the imitation of the divine and all folk performances are part of a ritual festival conducted in the name of the local deity.

The outlines of a folk play does not have the organization or the totality of structure that we find in an art play. It is simple in all respects – structure, plot, theme, and performance. The plot is usually a well-known local myth and the attitudes exhibited are all straight forward and familiar. What fascinates the audience is the improvisation by the actors. No two performances can be alike as there is no fixed dialogue or action – the performance depends on the actor’s talent. The actors are of necessity familiar with myths and also have oratorical skills. An actor can enliven the performance by references to extra-textual myths.

Dasarata, Sannatas, Doddatas, Parijata or Yakshagana are the five types of Bayalata commonly performed in Karnataka. In Parijata and Yakshagana a single narrator (sutradhar) controls the story whereas the other have a chorus of four or five narrators – aided by a Vidhushaka or a clown who adds the local colour.

Performance of the folk plays always continues through the night holding the audience spell-bound. It was the custom – now extinct – to watch the sun rise in the east and end the p lay after invoking his blessings.