Maharashtra Board Class 10 History Chapter 6 Entertainment and History PDF Download

Entertainment And History

Things that help refresh our minds and give a feeling of happiness are the sources of entertainment. Various hobbies, games, drama-film, writing-reading, etc. are the sources of entertainment.

Why Do We Need Entertainment?

Healthy entertainment of excellent quality is essential for the healthy growth of one's personality. Entertainment keeps our minds lively and fresh. It may also make us feel physically more energetic. So eventually our efficiency at work improves. Pursuing hobbies and games helps in personality development. In India many festivals, sports, dance-music, etc. were developed as forms of entertainment since ancient times.

There are varied forms of entertainment available in the modern period as well.

Entertainment can be classified into two categories, active and passive. Active entertainment anticipates an individual's mental-physical participation. Practicing of handicrafts and participating in sport activities are examples of active entertainment.

Watching a sports match or listening to music or watching a movie are examples of passive entertainment. In this type of entertainment we are not actual participants but only viewers.

Make a list of various types of entertainment and classify them into different categories.

Create a chart of active and passive types of entertainment, which are related to history.

Teacher's Note

Entertainment helps us feel happy and healthy. Just like you play games or watch movies at home, our grandparents enjoyed watching puppet shows and bhajans in their villages.

Exam Trick

Remember: Active = You do it (like playing sports). Passive = You watch it (like watching movies). Think "Action" for active!

Points To Remember

Entertainment helps us feel fresh and happy.
Active entertainment means you participate in it.
Passive entertainment means you only watch or listen.
Entertainment helps our personality grow strong.
Hobbies and games are types of entertainment.

Folk Theatre

Puppetry - Wooden Puppets (Kathputali)

Remains of clay dolls have been found in the excavations of archaeological sites of Harappan civilisation as well as sites in Egypt and Greece. It is possible that they were used as puppets.

In ancient India materials like wood, wool, leather, horns and ivory were used to make puppets. The Kathputali, a traditional art of puppetry in India has two styles; one that developed in Rajasthan and the other in southern regions of India.

The artists who stage Kathputali shows are found in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Assam, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnatak and Kerala. The role of the narrator known as sutradhara is very crucial in the success of Kathaputali stage show. The stage for this puppetry show is quite small but the puppeteers use light and sound effects in an ingenious way. Shadow puppets, hand puppets, wooden puppets and string puppets are used in Kathputali shows.

Teacher's Note

Kathputali is a very old art form from India. It is like a puppet show where wooden dolls dance and tell stories on stage, just like you see in magic shows.

Exam Trick

Remember: Kathputali = wooden puppets from Rajasthan. Think "Kath" = wood in Hindi. The sutradhara (narrator) is the most important person!

Points To Remember

Kathputali is an old Indian puppet show.
It uses wooden puppets made from special materials.
The narrator is called sutradhara.
It is found mainly in Rajasthan and other parts of India.
Light and sound effects make the show interesting.

Dashavatara Theatre

Dashavatara is part of the folk theatre in Maharashtra. Dashavatara shows are presented in the regions of Konkan and Goa after harvesting season is over. The stories presented in these shows are based on the 10 incarnations of Vishnu, namely Matsya, Koorma, Varaha, Narsimha, Wamana, Parashurama, Ram, Krishna, Buddha and Kalki. At the beginning of the show sutradhara, the narrator invokes Lord Ganesha, the destroyer of obstacles.

In the 18th century Shyamji Naik Kale started a phad of Dashavatara artists which used to perform all over Maharashtra.

Vishnudas Bhave, the pioneer of Marathi theatre staged mythological plays by introducing some modifications in the Dashavatara style. Thus, the origins of the Marathi theatre can be traced to Dashavatara tradition.

The meaning of phad is 'a troupe'.

The method of acting, make-up, costumes in Dashavatara shows is set by the tradition. The show is mostly musical but sometimes there may be a few spontaneous dialogues. The characters representing gods use wooden masks. The show ends by breaking dahihandi, an earthen pot of curds, followed by aarati, singing praises of the God.

Teacher's Note

Dashavatara is an old folk theatre from Maharashtra. It tells stories about different forms of Lord Vishnu, just like our grandparents told us religious stories.

Exam Trick

Remember: Dashavatara = 10 incarnations of Vishnu. Dasha = 10 in Hindi. It happens after harvest season in villages!

Points To Remember

Dashavatara tells stories of 10 forms of Lord Vishnu.
It is a folk theatre of Maharashtra.
It is performed after the harvest season.
Wooden masks are used for god characters.
The show ends with breaking a pot of curds.

Bhajan (Singing Devotional Songs)

To sing songs in praise of God and chanting god's name accompanied by instruments like taal (cymbals), mridangam, pakhavaj is known as Bhajan. There are two types of Bhajan, Chakri Bhajan and Songi Bhajan.

Chakri Bhajan: Devotees keep moving in circular fashion and sing without break.

Songi Bhajan: The singer-actors act as devotees and deliver dialogues in the form of devotional songs.

Tukadoji Maharaj introduced a new form of Bhajan known as Khanjiri Bhajan.

Listen to the bhajans composed by saints Tulsidas, Surdas, Meerabai and Kabir and try to learn them with the help of your music teacher or some traditional singer.

In north India the bhajans composed by Saint Tulsidas, the great poet Surdas, Saint Meerabai and Saint Kabir are very popular.

Compositions of Purandardas, Kanakdas, Vijaydas, Bodhendraguruswami, Thyagaraj, etc. are sung in Karnatak.

In Gujarat Saint Narasi Mehta gave momentum to the Bhakti movement. In Maharashtra, Saint Namadeva supported the tradition of bhajan-keertan through the tradition of Varakari sect. The Varakari sect developed a glorious tradition of bhajan-keertan.

Teacher's Note

Bhajan is singing songs to praise God with musical instruments. You may have heard bhajans at temples or religious events in your village or city.

Exam Trick

Remember: Bhajan = singing + God's name + instruments. Chakri = moving in circles. Songi = acting with dialogues!

Points To Remember

Bhajan is singing songs in praise of God.
Musical instruments like cymbals are used.
There are two types: Chakri and Songi Bhajan.
Famous saints like Kabir and Meerabai wrote bhajans.
Bhajans are sung in temples and homes.

Keertan

Traditionally, Naradmuni is supposed to be the founder of the Keertana tradition. Saint Namadev is known as the first keertankar of Maharashtra. Other saints helped the tradition to flourish.

The keertankar is also known as Haridas or Kathekaribuva. He has to dress in a traditional way. He needs to train himself in oratory, singing, musical instruments, dance and humour. He needs to be very well informed. Keertan is performed in a temple or in the precincts of a temple.

There are two main traditions of keertan, (1) Naraadiya or Haridasi (2) Varakri. Haridasi keertan is a solo performance. It has two parts, Poorvarang and Uttarrang. Naman (praising god), Nirupanacha Abhang (singing a composition that leads to the main theme) and Nirupan (explanation of the main theme) comprise the Poorvarang. Narration of a story to illustrate the main theme comprises Uttarrang. In the Varkari Keertan collective participation is more important. The players of cymbals also play an important part along with the keertankar. During the independence movement a new type of Keertan was developed, known as Rashtriya Keertan. It places more importance on creating awareness by narrating the life stories of great leaders of the Indian independence movement, scientists, social reformers, etc. The tradition of Rashtriya Keertan was started by Dattopant Patwardhan of Wai in Maharashtra.

Members of the Satyashodhak Samaj founded by Mahatma Jyotirao Phule also used Keertan as a medium of creating social awareness. The style of Keertan by Saint Gadge Maharaj resembled closely to Satyashodhak style of Keertan. He used to throw light on issues like abolition of caste, cleanliness, deaddiction, etc.

Teacher's Note

Keertan is a solo performance where one person sings and tells stories. It is like when your grandmother tells you stories with songs and music in your home.

Exam Trick

Remember: Keertan = Haridas = solo singer. Haridasi has two parts: Poorvarang (praise) and Uttarrang (story). Rashtriya Keertan = independence stories!

Points To Remember

Keertan is a solo singing performance about God and stories.
The singer is called keertankar or Haridas.
There are two types: Haridasi and Varkari Keertan.
It happens in temples or near temples.
Saint Namadev was the first keertankar of Maharashtra.

Lalit

Lalit is an old form of entertainment in Maharashtra. It belongs to the tradition of Naradiya Keertan. It is quite popular in Goa and Konkan.

During the performance of Lalit on the occasion of religious festivals, it is presumed that the presiding deity of that festival is present on the throne and then she is invoked for fulfilment of a desire. The invocation continues as follows: "Let everybody be granted their desire. Let entire village live in happiness till we perform next Lalit. Let the internal clashes vanish with this performance of Lalit. Let nobody's mind be spoilt with prejudice. Let all transactions happen with clear minds. Let the community's behaviour be pious."

The Lalit is performed in a theatrical style. Stories of Krishana, Rama and great devotees are presented during the performance. A few texts of Lalit are available in Hindi as well. Lalit forms a part of the backdrop of modern Marathi theatre.

Teacher's Note

Lalit is an old art form where stories of Lord Krishna and Rama are told in a theatrical way. It is performed during festivals in Goa and Konkan regions.

Exam Trick

Remember: Lalit = theatrical storytelling + religious festivals. It is from Naradiya Keertan tradition. Famous in Goa and Konkan!

Points To Remember

Lalit is an old theatrical entertainment form.
It is performed during religious festivals.
Stories of Krishna and Rama are told.
It is popular in Goa and Konkan regions.
The audience hopes for their wishes to be fulfilled.

Bharud

Bharud can be described as a metaphorical song that has spiritual and ethical lessons. Bharud is comparable to the style of a road show. Bharuds composed by Saint Eknath are popular in Maharashtra because of its wide range of subjects, dramatic quality, easy rhythm and humour. Saint Eknath composed Bharuds with a purpose of educating people on various aspects of life.

Teacher's Note

Bharud is a song that teaches us good lessons. Saint Eknath wrote Bharuds to teach people about how to live a good life and follow good values.

Exam Trick

Remember: Bharud = spiritual song + lessons + humour. Saint Eknath = most famous Bharud composer. It is like a road show performance!

Points To Remember

Bharud is a song with spiritual and ethical lessons.
Saint Eknath is the most famous Bharud composer.
It teaches people about good living and values.
Bharud has drama, rhythm and humour.
It is performed like a road show.

Tamasha

Tamasha is a Persian word. It means a 'pleasing sight'. Tamasha developed as an independent art form in the 18th century, by absorbing various traits of folk theatre and classical arts.

There are two types of traditional Tamasha, Sangeet Bari and Dholakicha Phad. Dance and music are more important than drama in a Sangeet Bari. Tamasha with drama as the main part, was developed later. It included Vag, the dramatic part, little later. The Vag becomes very lively and entertaining because of its spontaneous humour. The show begins by singing the praise of Lord Ganesha, known as Gana. It is followed with the presentation of Gavalan. The second part of Tamasha presents the Vag. The popular plays like Vichchha Mazi Puri Kara or Gadhavache Lagna are examples of the modern form of Tamasha.

Teacher's Note

Tamasha is a folk theatre with dance, music and drama. It is very entertaining and funny. You may have seen Tamasha performances at village festivals or street shows.

Exam Trick

Remember: Tamasha = Persian word = pleasing sight. Two types: Sangeet Bari (music+dance) and Dholakicha Phad. It has Gana (praise) and Vag (drama)!

Points To Remember

Tamasha is a folk theatre form with dance and music.
It started in the 18th century in Maharashtra.
There are two types: Sangeet Bari and Dholakicha Phad.
It has humorous and spontaneous dialogue called Vag.
Modern Tamasha includes drama as the main part.

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