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[Full title: Performing Arts under the auspices of the Devalaya (1) Oja-Pali]

Introduction鈥擯erforming arts are the right medium of transmitting the overall aspects of the Devalaya. It is the treasure house of common faiths of the people, a place of religiousness for majority of the people of the locality. Hence, it is revered by almost all people for its benevolent services committed to the mankind irrespective of caste creed and religion. The cumulative service of the Devalaya goes beyond the narrow parameter of dogmatic religiousness. The performing arts arranged and fostered by the Devalaya replicate the above statement in fuller length. So, the support of the people goes for the maintenance of the Devalaya. The locality where the Devalaya is standing lacks other places for any entertainment of recreation. So, all the section of people belonging to the locality along with the adjoining areas are accustomed to visit the Devalaya in accordance to their convenience with regular mode. The frequency of their visit is accelerated by these types of arrangements of performing arts. Primarily the festivals, no matter, minor or major, traditional or ritualistic are accompanied by fairs and arrangement of performing arts as mandatory part of the entire Devalaya rituals. The folk groups perform there with merriment and a sense of relief for sustenance.

Oja-Pali consists of one Oja and four-five Palis out of which one is Daina Pali鈥攖he entertainer. Oja sings and acts upon the hymns and the Daina Pali explains these in his own way in the simplified forms and in crude language to suit the psyche of the folk people. The other Palis sing the hymns supporting the Oja together by playing the hand cymbals in a special rhythm. The contextualised forms of the epic and Puranic stories attract the people very easily. The features of the Oja-Pali make them very popular amongst the people. Though the Oja-Pali is assessed to be a crude form of performing arts combining songs and drama; however, some classical features are also noticed in the Oja-Pali. Use of Mudra鈥攃lassical gestures and Raag鈥攃lassical notes are noticed by the scholars of that domain.

Assam is particularly rich in the field of folk drama. These are: 

1. bhaona, 
2. oja-pali,
3. nagara naam,
4. dhuliya,
5. kushan-gan,
6. pala-gan,
7. khuliya-bhaona,
8. bhaira.

The Oja-pali institution also incorporates within itself ingredients of folk theatre. It is customary for the principal singer-Oja, to enter into dramatic dialogues with his principal assistant, Dainapali,. In some performances, particularly in Mare-Gowa and Raiman-Gowa forms, more elaborate dramatic interpolations constitute a part of the Oja-Pali structure.

The three books Smriti Ratnakar by Pandit Vedacharya of ancient Kamrupa (13th century), Kathaguru Charit edited by Upen Ch. Lekharu and Guru Lila by Ram Rai provide evidences about the prevalence of Oja-Pali even on the occasion of funeral ceremony of Mahapurush Sankardev and Mahapurush Madhavdev. The Copperplate-Inscription of Banamali Dev of 9th Century is a testimony to the fact that there was a prevalence of Oja-Pali of that time.

On the basis of the subject matters, Oja-Pali can be classified into three types. These are:

1. Byash Oja-Pali,
2. Ramayani Oja-Pali and
3. Sukananni Oja-Pali.

Byash Ojapali is based on the stories of The Mahabharata, Ramayani Oja-Pali is based on the stories of the Ramayana. Sukananni Ojapali is based on the stories of Padma Purana composed by Sukabi Narayandev. Narayandev is believed to be a resident of Sualkuchi-the Silk City of Assam in ancient times though there are controversies amongst the scholars. Sukananni or Sukanarayani Oja-Pali is performed to propitiate exasperation of Manasha Devis nake Goddess in Hindu mythology. Its tradition is defused in Assamese society from the stories of Chanda Sadagar-a merchant king of Champak Nagar in Chaigaon of Kamrup (Rural) district in present times whose seventh son-Lakhindar or Lakhai was killed by the biting of Manasha on the first day of his marriage with Sati Beula as result of his non compliance to worship Manasha as he was a stern devotee of Chandi-the other name of Durga Debi. This story is being orally transmitted through ages.

Despite the aggression of technology and other items of entertainment, still, there is great prevalence of Oja-Pali primarily in the districts of Darrang, Nalbari, Barpeta, Baksa and Goalpara etc. All the forms of Oja-Pali are equally popular amongst the folk people. Oja-Pali from Muslim community in Darrang district and Oja-Pali consisting women members in Barpeta district are in practice even today.

The contextualised forms of the epic and Puranic stories attract the people very easily. The features of the Oja-Pali make them very popular amongst the people. Though the Oja-Pali is assessed to be a crude form of performing arts combining songs and drama; however, some classical features are also noticed in the Oja-Pali. Use of mudra- classical gestures and raag- classical notes are noticed by the scholars belonging to this domain. Billeswar Devalaya is a place where the folkloristic activities are given due priority. So the traditionally acquired artistic forms are still in existence under its patronage. The troupes of such performance belonging to the adjoining area are still potent to resist the rapid extinction of many forms of performing arts. The entire west part of the Nalbari district and the east part of the Barpeta district are said to be the main operational areas of all functions of the Billeswar Devalaya till date. All the folkloristic troupes have a fine network amongst them and they get privilege to perform their show as the Devalaya holds series of religious and family events round the year. So the enrichment of the folk performing groups is noticeable.

To understand the social legacy-examples of some eminent personalities in the field of Oja-Pali are to be presented. They are:

Naro Barman (Naro Oja) from Kaihati,
Dhaniram Daina Pali popularly known as Dhaina Daina Pali from Jagara,
Dhatu Oja from Kaihati,
Bisturam Daina Pali from Kaihati,
Bichitra Rajbangshi from Barni,
Ramani Barman from Phoolguri. 

The tradition of Oja-pali of Kaihati is still maintained by Madan Oja who is rightly considered to be the cultural heir to the legacy. Belsor-the home village of Billeswar Devalaya boasts of Naro Oja who propagated Gandhism and Marxism through the medium of Oja-Pali and he was accompanied by Rango Dainapali whose acting and speech delivery attracted the spectators greatly. In present times, Ramohan Ohja of Bilweswar leads two groups of Ohjapali.

The other Oja-Pali artists of the past and the present accordingly of the Billeswar Devalaya are: 

Lt. Lalit Haloi(Oja),
Lt. Harkanta Haloi(Oja),
Lt. Chakradhar Mena(Ohja),
Lt. Nibharsha Barman(Pali),
Lt. Guda Barman(Pali),
Lt. Debi Barman(Pali),
Lt. Jaltiram Barman(Pali),
Lt. Purna Barman(Pali),
Sri Harmohan Rajbongshi(Ohja),
Sri Prabhat Haloi(Dainapali),
Sri Bichitra Rajbongshi(Oja),
Sri Dilip Rajbongshi(Dainapali),
Sri Shaniram Rajbongshi(Pali),
Sri Kailash Rajbongshi(Pali),
Sri Biren Rajbongshi(Pali) etc. 

There is a unique type of Oja-Pali in Nalbari district which is called Bhaira wherein 鈥榖haos鈥攇estures are emphasised during performance. The birth place of Bhaira is Jagara which is a village near to Billeswar Devalaya. Late Baga Bhot Oja was the pioneer of this kind whose descendents continued to perform. They were: Lt. Gandharam Oja, Lt. Kinchit Oja, Satya Oja, Pratap Dainapali. In present times, Jagadish

Baruah popularly known as Hukuku Bhaira鈥攁 disciple of Pratap Dainapali is performing Bhaira and entertaining the people a lot. The performers of all the forms of Oja-Pali wear different types of attire and play bell metal cymbals attracting the spectators.

Billeswar Devalaya, is emerging as a place for religious tourism by the governmental support in a rapid pace having newly constructed tourist lodge and other essential infrastructure in recent years. Its religiousness, myths, legends, tales are being propagated across the state due to the visits of influential persons from all fraternities with great momentum. In other words, the Devalaya converts itself to religious congregation during Durga Puja. Fairs held during it add extra dimension to the festivals giving opportunities to the local people for purchasing their essential items and domestic utensils including fancy items. People from different walks of life entertain themselves engrossing with the folk and modern performances along with Mobile Theatre groups. But the economic reality and the crudity of taste, still, compel a huge bulk of people belonging to all neighboring villages to entertain only with the folk performances arranged by the Devalaya authority as well as the ad-hoc committee formed to manage the festivals. Paiks (a Paik is a group of four people who are assigned with specific duty) are always ready to serve the functions of the Devalaya and daily 鈥�bhog-meal for the devotees鈥� is served to the assembled devotees including the folk performers. Folk performers are paid honorarium from the accumulated currency as offerings by the visitors. Amongst all the folk performing groups, Oja-Pali occupies a prominent place during all festivals. They are from all places of the district; sometimes, from outside of the districts. The rhythmic playing of Khuti Taal (small bell metal cymbals by single hand) by Sukananni(a derived word from Sukabi Narayandev); Baati Taal(slightly big bell metal cymbals by both hands)by the Byash Oja-Palis reverberate the whole day and night of the Devalaya amusing folk people to a great extent.

In modern day times, though people are materially developing in a rapid pace; however, sociological survey is indicative of people鈥檚 fatigue which is born out of the collapse of the relation with the nature. There are other reasons also among which the distortion of joint family structure is a major one. The entertainment imported from the electronic media e.g. Internet, TV etc. which are based on the westernized model is found to be cannibal in case of indigenous types of entertainment. The indigenousness is perpetually intact only in the folklore. Billeswar Devalaya is the epitome of folkloristic performance wherein a huge number of people belonging to the locality get solace for ages. The sacredness which is possessed by the Devalaya is a potential factor to entice the people by its activities. The demography says that majority people of the locality are Hindu by religion. Though the Devalaya is of original Shaivite legacy; however, it became the altar for all deities in later days. Both the Puranic and Vedic traditions are observed in every aspect of the Devalaya.

In short, all the worships prescribed by both the traditions whether Puranic and Vedic are performed with continuity due to which people of all faiths of Hinduism are attracted by the Devalaya. Besides it, Vaishnavite traditions are also maintained on many occasions which started since the time of affiliation of Koch Kings. The atmosphere may be exploited by the rampant performance of Oja-Pali as it is a popular form of folk art. 鈥淔or centuries India remained largely an 鈥榦ral society鈥�. The oral mode of communication played a major role in its freedom movement, the incidence of illiteracy being very high. This even today remains at the level of about 40 per cent.鈥� Of course, the situation is being changed. But Oja-Pali, still, is relevant in propagating the religious story amongst the folk people which has a widespread acceptability due to its theatrical mode and attractive attire worn by the performers. Devalaya vicinity is a vital place in enticing the people of different walks of life through its sacredness having the legendary, mythical stories and long standing beliefs including supernatural elements. Devalaya epitomizes all these things which are affiliated with people with folk ways detaching themselves from the current scientific and so-called thoughts. Owing to this aged beliefs, the Devalaya can work in promoting happiness, peace, integrity those are the timeless demands of the society, though, our society is seen to be overwhelmed with the impacts of globalization. Oja-Pali may be used as a great folk performance for the social sake making more effective by admixing with current subjects.