Saang

Saang, also known as Swang (meaning "imitation") or Svang, is a popular folk dance–theatre form and a traditional style of storytelling in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh. Swang incorporates suitable theatrics and mimicry (or ''naqal'') accompanied by song and dialogue. It is dialogue-oriented rather than movement-oriented. Religious stories and folk tales are enacted by a group of ten or twelve persons in an open area or an open-air theatre surrounded by the audience. Swang as an art of imitation means Rang-Bharna, Naqal-Karna.

Swang can be considered as the most ancient folk theatre form in India. Nautanki, Saang, Tamasha originated from the Swang traditions. Old Swang traditions are:

"EK MARDANA EK JANANA MANCH PAR ADE THE RAI"

means one male and one female performers start the story.

"EK SAARANGI EK DHOLAKIA SAATH MEIN ADE THE RAI"

means one sarangi player and one dholak player joins the performance. This Swang/Saang performance was active at the time of Kabir Sant and Guru Nanak.

Tradition credits Kishan Lal Bhaat for laying the foundation of the present style of Swang about two hundred years ago. During the Mughal period, and specifically at the time of the Aurangzeb, women were strictly banned from public performances. Since women did not participate in the dance-drama form, men have traditionally enacted their roles. Later on different performers changed the style according to the socio-political situations.

Features

Stage is similar to operatic performance. The stage may consist of a clear circular open area, or at the most, a wooden platform about three and a half metre in length. There are no elaborate stage arrangements similar to modern dramatic performances. There are no backdrops, curtains or green-rooms. Typically, there are no microphones or loudspeakers either. An hour or so before the show, the musicians of the orchestra begin to sing religious or other songs connected with the play in order to create the proper atmosphere for the play. The 'Guru' then appears and the artistes touch his feet to evoke his blessings. The play opens with a song ('bhait' or offering) in praise of Bhawani, the Goddess of Knowledge:

''Aa re bhawani baas kar mere ghat ke parde khol''
''Rasna par basa karo maai shudh shabd mukh bol''

(Oh Goddess Bhawani, open the doors of knowledge to me. Bless my tongue so that all I sing consists of pure surs.)

After Bhawani there are Chamolas, Kafias, Savias the main ingredients of performance. Googa Dhamoda a dance form starts at the beginning. With a brief introduction about the play, the performance starts. It consists mainly of mimicry, from which the name of the theater form derives (''swaang'' means disguise or impersonation). Also featured prominently are long question and answer sessions between the actors. Much of the dialogue is improvised and the actors must be able to trade quotations, puns, proverbs and songs at the drop of a hat. There is much singing and dancing and there is always a clown character called the ''makhaulia'' (jester). Swang theatre is traditionally restricted to men, who also play the female roles, the latter often involving elaborate make-up and costumes. But female troupes are not altogether unknown.

A single presentation of ''swaang'' may continue for up to five or six hours. There is much song and music, especially the famous Haryanvi style of singing known as '' Raagani''.

Themes

Swang themes draw variously from themes of morality, folk tales, lives of inspiring personalities, stories from Indian mythology and in recent times, more current themes like health and hygiene, literacy, AIDS awareness and women's empowerment. In temple based religious theatre, Indian epics and Puranas are the major source material for characters, while the community-based secular theatre is of lighter variety. Several themes may be mixed together - mythological love, popular history, and religious themes, all with overtones of secular values. All dramas typically end with the victory of good over evil.

Popular mythological themes include Raja Vikramaditya, Ranveer- Padmavat, Jaani Chor, Prahlad Bhagat, Gopi Chand, Bharthari, Harishchander, Raja Bhoj, Kichak Badh, Draupadi Chir Haran, Jaani Chor, Pingla Bharthri and other tales from old literature. Also popular are Punjabi romances like Pooran Bhagat, Heer Ranjha, etc. Historical and semi-historical themes include Raja Rissalu, Amar Singh Rathor, Sarwar Neer, Jaswant Singh, Ramdevji, etc. Other popular tales include romances like Sorath Rai Diyach, Nihalde, Padmavat, etc.

History

In Haryana the most celebrated name is that of Deep Chand Bahman of village Khanda, Sonipat. He was popularly known as Shakespeare or Kalidas of Haryana. He polished the style of Ali Bux and gave a new color to this folk art. The Saang of that time had two categories: (i) Kirtan Style and (ii) Nautanki Style. Deep Chand's style of performance incorporated elements from music, dance, pantomime, versification, and ballad recitation.
During the First World War, when Deep Chand's capacity for improvisation and adaptation was at its peak, the British Government made him a Rai Sahib and granted him other favours. His catchy song-compositions with martial tunes attracted large recruits to the army.

Deep Chand Bahman:
॥भर्ती होले रे, थारे बाहर खड़े रंगरूट, आड़ै मिलै पाट्या पुराणा, उड़ै मिलै फुल बूट॥

दो सौ वर्ष के बाद म्य, सांगी दीपचंद आग्या, तख़्त बिछा साजिन्दे बिठा, आसमाने तणवाग्या, देश चमोले तीन बोल के, इसे काफिये गाग्या, सरकार करै थी पूछ, दीपचंद सांगी स्याणे की, बहुत पुराणी कहाणी, सुणियो हरियाणे की, घग्गर यमना बीच की, धरती हरी समाणे की।
- प. रामकिशन व्यास

एक सौ सत्तर साल बाद, फेर दीपचंद होग्या, साजिन्दे तो बणा दिये, घोड़े का नाच बंद होग्या, निच्चै काला दामण ऊपर, लाल कन्द होग्या, चमोले को भूल गये, न्यू न्यारा छन्द होग्या, तीन काफिए गाये, या बणी रंगत हाल की, हरियाणे की कहाणी सुणल्यो, दो सौ साल की, कई किस्म की हवा चालगी, ये नई चाल की।
- प. मांगेराम

The origin of swang is traced to be Kishan Lal Bhaat, who some two hundred years ago is said to have laid the foundation of the present style of folk theatre. Another view gives credit for this to Kavi Shankar Dass, a poet artiste, who belonged to Meerut. Another notable early pioneer was Ali Bux of Rewari

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