THE PEOPLE

ENTERTAINMENT

At certain fairs wrestling bouts are also arranged; but the most common entertainment is tamasa, or a dancing troupe usually composed of local artists. Sangli district has already made a name for such artists coming from Rethare Dharan, Kameri, Islampur, Kupvad Kavalapur, Ghatnandre, Kavathe Ekand, Tasgahv, Vayphale Vadiyerabad and so on. The tamase or what is now popularly called as Lokanatya forms even today an important aspect of the cultural life in the village. It is generally performed after the harvest season, for it is only then that the farmers could afford to turn to the lighter aspects of their social environment.

While tamasa allures the young and romantic blood, bhajan lifts the senses to spiritual heights. The bhajan is done generally on auspicious or religious days. It provides entertainment to the masses through devotional songs sung in harmony with mrdang and tal. The tradition of singing bhajan is kept alive even today. Under the Block Development scheme many of the Bhajan Mandals from various villages were supplied with musical instruments and other aids.

If bhajan can widen the spiritual outlook of an individual to abnegation, the talim or gymnasium can develop the physical power in him. Gymnasiums are scattered fairly widely over the district and number of gymnasts are regularly trained in them. In fact, the district ranks only next to Kolhapur in the whole of Maharastra in giving birth to gymnasts of repute. At the time of fair, wrestling bouts figure prominently in the people's outdoor recreation.

Now every town in the district is having a theatre where Hindi and Marathi and occasionally English films are exhibited. Villages are visited by the 'touring talkies ' almost annually to entertain the people. Dramas and other stage performances also take place quite frequently. Dancing troupes visit the district only occasionally, generally at the time of fair. The only type of dance peculiar to this district and popular is the Gajnrutya or Elephant Dance performed by the shepherds from Arevadi and Atpadi areas. This folk dance represents the rare specimen of an ancient art still preserved in the district.

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