Ramat: Keeping alive 300-year-old folk art

JAIPUR: People of

Bikaner

are keeping alive three centuries old tradition of organising ‘Rammat’, a kind of folk art, in Walled City area with same zeal and fervour just like their ancestors used to do. The charm of 300-year-old folk art ‘Rammat’ is still the same as it was three centuries ago.


There is no role of district administration or any other government body, which is organising Rammat but it is a committee-driven initiative. From one generation to other, the art of Rammat is still continuing without losing its sheen.

Every year, some 30 days ahead of Holi, people of different walk of life started rehearsal for Rammat. The first Rammat was organised on March 13 at Nathusar Gate in Bikaner. It is a series of Rammat, which are organised at different places in the Walled City of Bikaner. One Rammat does not coincide with the other.

“Rammat is not exactly a drama but it is a folk art. It is community driven. People of different walk of life get united ahead of Holi and organise Rammat. They are not artists by profession but they are resident of the area who rehearse for some days before the performance,” said Nawal Kishore Vyas, a 30-year-old, theatre artists, who has also performed in Rammat few years ago.

At Acharya Ka Chawk in Bikaner, people started gathering in large numbers on intervening Monday-Tuesday night. They were eagerly waiting for artists to perform. Within few minutes, artists wearing traditional folk art clothes came to the stage. Men wearing attires of female to play female character welcomed with applause. The dialogues on high pitch, started to resonate at Acharya Chawk. “In Rammat, dialogues are exchanged in high pitch. Earlier, there was no use of loudspeakers, now artists have started using it,” said Gopal Singh, an activist working to save heritage of Bikaner.

Rammat starts in the night and it continued till 8am to 10am. The audience enjoy every bit of it. “Amar Singh Rathore is one Rammat, which was performed on intervening Monday-Tuesday night. It is a story of

Nagaur

’s Amar Singh Rathore, who worked under Delhi rule. One artist plays character of Shah Jahan. Rathore murdered one loyalist of the ruler as he was tarnishes his reputation and image in front of the ruler. This ‘rammat’ is a story of Rathore,” said Viplav Vyas, a rammat artists.

Holi is not just a day or two-day celebration, here in Bikaner, people started celebrating it from March 13. They also play Fagunia football, wearing clothes of politicians, army personnel and cricketer. Also, they play water Holi ahead of actual Holi day.