Panaji
Art is immortal, they say. But not always true, claim the Bahurupiya artists from Chittorgarh, Rajasthan, who are performing their folk art in Goa at the ongoing Lokotsav 2025 in Panaji. “Bahurupiya kala, which is also known as Bhand or Swang art, is going extinct now,” lament all four members of the Bhand family, who have been carrying forward the legacy of this art for the ninth generation now.
“We are the last few who still take pride in showcasing our traditional art and entertaining people,” stated Vikram Bhand, who, along with his brother Ravikant, father Durgashankar, and grandfather Chaganlal Bhand, 84, were invited by the Sanskriti Ministry (Government of India), the Western Region Cultural Centre Udaipur, and the Goa government to participate in this year’s Lokotsava. Impressed by the art, Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant took a selfie with the artists and lauded their skills.
The CM said, “Kudos to you for keeping the art alive even in challenging situations.”
According to Vikram, it’s not easy to transform into different characters, imitating their dress code, language, makeup, acting, and dialogues. His grandfather, Chaganlal Bhand, was successful in taking the art to an international audience and was even honoured by the late Queen Elizabeth in Britain in 1990, apart from receiving honours and accolades in his own country, India.
Chaganlal observed people from different vocations in his village and those who visited from other villages, and imitated their dressing style, acting, and language. He copied a farmer, ironsmith, milkmen, washermen, gardener, vendors, vaidya, and Pathan, who travelled from Afghanistan to sell dry fruits in Rajasthan. He also imitated historical characters from the Ramayan and Mahabharat.
Vikram, who has taken the art to the next level, has added familiar characters like Charlie Chaplin, PK, and Motu-Patlu, in a bid to keep the art relevant and contemporary. Vikram and his brother Ravikant are the ninth-generation artists in their family. However, they are saddened that the art is losing recognition and that very few platforms are available to showcase it. “We are worried about its future,” said Vikram, 23, who wishes to appeal to the governments to take appropriate measures to revive, rejuvenate, and keep the art alive.
Vikram, along with his family, has been travelling to different States, participating in fairs and festivals, representing the Bahurupiya art, aiming to keep it alive.
“It is our family art and is carried forward by the next generation religiously. The art had patronage from the kings in the yesteryears, but as the era of the kingdoms died down, the art began losing support and a stage,” added Vikram, who noted that the artist family has been invited by the Goa government with arrangements for food and accommodation, as well as remuneration.
“Our remuneration will go directly into our bank accounts,” he said.
However, the Bhand family expresses concern over the extinction of the art, which was once very flourishing during the times of the royal kingdoms in India.
“Our ancestors were associated with the Udaipur Rajgharana (royal family), and the royal family used to invite the family during festive occasions to perform in the Darbars (courts) and support them financially. My grandfather’s father had received a Tamrapatra (bronze plate) from the king of Udaipur, announcing him the Jaagir of 10,000 villages, where he used to visit and showcase the art to the villagers. This and various other arts like Kathputali (puppet) and Manganiyar were given patronage by the kings. But the Gen Next is distancing themselves from these arts as there are no takers. The children do not want to learn it or embrace it anymore. But if the art is introduced in schools in some form, it will be saved from going extinct,” feels Vikram, who will be answering his final-year BA exam this coming March.
