Vadodara: The centuries-old folk theatre form Bhavai is gradually fading. However, a family from the city strives to carry forward the tradition. Thirty-three-year-old Daxesh Patel, a tabla performer, has been working to preserve the tradition of playing Bhungal, an integral part of Bhavai. It is a thin copper trumpet-like horn, used for pitch and tone during the performance.
"We inherited the skill from our forefathers who were exponents of Bhavai. Since the folk art form is going into oblivion, the number of people playing the instrument has gone down exponentially," said Daxesh who is a professional tabla player. Daxesh learned the instrument from his grandfather Ranchhod Patel and father Chandravadan Patel. The Patel family has eight members who continue to play the instrument even today.
"Our family has been playing Bhungal for over two centuries. The instrument is about six-foot long when assembled. These days Bhungal is mostly sought by research scholars and documentary filmmakers," said Chandravadan.
The metal instrument is played in pairs. Bhungal has been traditionally used to announce the Bhavai performance. It is played between couplets, dialogues and also provides rhythm for the artists to dance.
According to Daxesh, they get about 20 calls asking for Bhavai performances every year. "Bhavai was not only a source of entertainment, but was also a looked upon as a medium to satirize social issues. About 15 years ago, every year there were over 100 Bhavai performances in the city. With the advent of the digital age, there are no takers for this traditional art form," he added. "Bhavai is at the verge of extinction, but families like these have kept the tradition alive by continuing to play the Bhungal. Playing the instrument is a strenuous task and not everyone can excel in it. Many families have left Bhavai due to financial uncertainty and lack of encouragement," said vice dean and head of the department of dramatics, Prabhakar Dabhade.
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