Apne Hi Ghar Me Kisi Dure Ghar Ke Hum Hai

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, focusing on the themes and content presented in the scanned pages:

The document, titled "Apne hi Ghar me Kisi Dure Ghar ke Hum Hai" by Mahendra Bhanavat, is part of a Jain educational series. This section specifically delves into the realm of traditional folk media in India as a vital means of communication and cultural expression, particularly for reaching the common populace.

The Importance of Folk Media:

• Reaching the Masses: High-ranking officials and institutions often overlook traditional folk media when preparing projects for wider dissemination. While modern media effectively reaches urban, elite, and middle-class families, folk media is crucial for connecting with those living without basic amenities.
• Cultural Integration: Folk media is intrinsically linked to regional traditions, languages, local products, and musical instruments. It reflects the preferences of the people in a particular region, and although their forms may vary, their fundamental purpose remains the same.

Classification of Folk Media:

The text categorizes traditional folk media into three main types based on their objectives:

1. Informative: For public education and awareness.
2. Educational: For imparting knowledge and skills.
3. Entertaining: For amusement and enjoyment.

Folk Media as a Carrier of Tradition:

India is described as a land of traditions, and its cultural heritage is deeply interwoven with various forms of folk media. These media are often rooted in the evolution of human intellect and the early stages of civilization. The society in India is still identified as tradition-bound, where what the "folk" (people) have termed "tradition," scriptures have elevated to the status of "discipline" by associating them with specific sects.

Folk media are considered the traditional methods that carry the essence of folk traditions. They are described as possessing the sweetness of the regional arts and can evoke feelings ranging from joy and enlightenment to humor. These media are the "lifeblood" of the folk, capable of revitalizing communities. While folk people have often protected them by giving them an entertaining facade, many of these traditional media are currently facing a crisis of obsolescence. However, in rural areas, people still value their heritage and are often unaware of satellite communication and modern broadcasting systems.

Key Characteristics of Folk Media:

The text highlights several defining features of folk media:

1. Rooted in Local Language: They are based on the vernacular languages of the region.
2. Aligned with People's Understanding: They operate at the level of local comprehension and understanding.
3. Development through Proverbs and Concise Styles: They evolve using proverbs and sometimes adopt concise, formulaic styles.
4. Driven by Collection or Worship of Folk: Their fundamental basis lies in the collection of folk traditions or their veneration.

Major Traditional Folk Media in India:

The document then proceeds to detail some of the prominent traditional folk media in India, whether they are performed, exhibited, sung, or narrated:

• Folk Tales (Lokkatha):

  • Defined as stories passed down through tradition, which can be factual or fictional.
  • Traces the human tendency to explain experiences through narratives from primitive times.
  • Mentions that scriptures often acknowledge and even emphasize the importance of folk narratives, indicating the richness of the folk tale tradition.
  • Folk tales are presented in three forms: allegorical, mythological, and folk-narrative or oral traditions.
  • In India, folk tales have survived through religious development, rituals, commitments, fear, curiosity, mystery, and adventure. They also manifest as traditional myths, legends, character descriptions, life-cycle rituals, nature stories, and heroic tales.
  • Highlights the tradition of professional storytellers (kathakkads or batposhi) in Rajasthan, from communities like Raa, Bhat, Charan, etc., who entertained patrons with stories to receive rewards. These stories are described as engaging and lively.
  • Folk tales are also referred to as "Keni," "Varta," or "Baat."
  • Four modes of telling stories are identified: the storytelling venue, the narration itself, the singer, and the performer.
  • Emphasizes the significance of "hunkaara" (vocal agreement or affirmation) in folk media, which signifies immediate response and confirmation of the narrative's truth. This creates a direct connection and provides feedback to the performers.
  • Folk Ballads (Lokgatha): Considered a form of epic poetry for the folk, these ballads portray folk ideologies, ideals, and natural flow. They narrate the life stories of protagonists in a sung form, presenting a picture of collective culture. "Pawara" is cited as an example.

• Folk Theatre (Loknatya):

  • Originates from folk life and is used to educate and train people or depict the lives of exemplary figures.
  • This is a unique heritage where performances cover mythological characters and individuals from various eras who have left an indelible mark through their commendable and idealistic actions.
  • The folk present these characters in their own way, using their own stages and artists.
  • A significant characteristic is that sometimes audience members emerge as characters and share their experiences.
  • Folk theatre connects with the lives of ordinary people, serving as both entertainment and a means of public education.
  • The primary theme is the victory of virtues over vices, and performances often conclude with this resolution.
  • Folk theatre has its own local language, incorporating customs, traditions, narratives, and beliefs in dialogues.
  • A key feature is the prioritization of verbal expression over elaborate costumes or sets. Folk theatre artists are skilled in eloquence, spontaneous dialogue creation, and wit, unlike modern theatre professionals who rely on memorization or dubbing.
  • In Rajasthan, folk theatre has two main forms:
    • Short Comedies (Laghu Prahasan): Including "Rammat," "Bhavai," "Rawal," "Rasdhari," "Hela," "Swang," "Maharan," and dialogues by "Bahurupiya."
    • Musical Plays (Geetinatya): Including "Tutiya ke Khyal" performed at weddings, "Gavari ke Geetaadharit Khel," and "Mach ke Khel."
  • Mentions various regional "Khyal" traditions in Rajasthan (Kuchamani, Shekhawati, Mewari, etc.) and other forms like "Nautanki," "Kalabakshi," and those performed by Gandharvas, Nagauri, Kada, and Jhadshahi.
  • Leelas (Plays depicting divine stories): These have a long tradition, likely inspired by religious or devotional movements, with divine or divine-being stories at their core. Examples include "Ramleela," "Rasleela," "Narasimha Leela," "Samaya," "Rasdhari," and "Shivleela" or "Gavari" by Bhils.

• Folk Dance (Loknritya):

  • Considered the most important among folk media from a communication perspective.
  • It is a powerful expression of the joy of folk life.
  • Dance is presented as the oldest art form utilizing the human body for communication.
  • It is not the creation of a single individual but a collective construct, evolving from unplanned bodily movements performed for joy centuries ago to organized folk dances.
  • Five categories of folk dances are mentioned:
    1. For self-pleasure.
    2. Ritualistic folk dances.
    3. Labor-intensive folk dances.
    4. Social folk dances.
    5. Entertaining folk dances.
  • These folk dances are said to embody the traditions, customs, and collective faith of folk life, which later evolved into spiritual beliefs.
  • They are collective expressions, universally accessible, and simple. Folk dances serve as powerful mediums for collective entertainment and public education.
  • Provides a list of regional folk dances from various states like Rajasthan (Ghoomar, Gata Banaada, Panihari, Teratali, etc.), Gujarat (Bhavai, Dandiya, Garba Ras), Kashmir (Rouf, Wattal, Ghoomal, Band, Pathar), Punjab (Bhangra, Giddha, Luddi), Haryana (Danda, Chhathi), Himachal Pradesh (Nati, Ghodhayi, Dangi), Uttar Pradesh (Chanchari, Rasa, Chakula), Odisha (Danda Nat, Laguda, Chhau), Bengal (Gambhira, Raybesh, Jhali, Jatra), Assam (Bihu, Dulia, Bhawariya, Khuliya), and Manipur (Laiharoba, Maiba, Ras, Sankirtan).
  • The presence of these diverse dances indicates that folk life utilizes them as a strong basis for both entertainment and education.

The latter part of the provided text (Page 4) abruptly shifts to discussing the concept of non-violence (Ahimsa) in major world religions, specifically mentioning Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, but this content is not directly related to the initial focus on folk media and appears to be a continuation from a different section of the larger publication. It highlights that the principle of non-violence is present in most major world religions.