Updated: April 3, 2022 9:34:48 am
Members of a tamasha troupe practise ahead of their performance. (Express Photo by Pavan Khengre) The humdrum of song and dance has returned to Narayangaon, a small town in the Pune district located around 70 km from the city, with tamasha (theatre) troupes pitching their tents after nearly two years owing to the coronavirus pandemic.
Express Photo by Pavan Khengre The tamasha troupes that participate in the fair in Narayangaon every year travel from various parts of the states such as Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur, Nagar, Sangamner and Pune, among others. While small troupes have 10-20 members, bigger troupes can have 100-150 members. The small groups charge anything between Rs 60,000 to 70,000 for a show in a village while bigger ones charge Rs 1-1.5 lakh for a show. Narayangaon itself is famous for tamasha art and is home to numerous tamasha troupes.
Express Photo by Pavan Khengre However, with restrictions imposed across the country due to the spread of Covid-19, including a ban on public events, the business had slowed down greatly for the performers over the last two years.
Express Photo by Pavan Khengre Now, with the easing of curbs across Maharashtra as Covid-19 cases decline, visitors have started trickling in from across the state to make bookings for the tamashas.
Express Photo by Pavan Khengre Ushering in the Maharashtrian New Year and festivals such as Gudi Padwa and Ram Navmi, the tamasha groups are hoping to make good business.
Express Photo by Pavan Khengre The key attraction of tamasha is that it goes on from six to eight hours, catering to different audiences by having separate segments for women, the aged, the youth and so on. However, the form and flavour of tamasha vary from district to district. For instance, in Khandesh, men play the part of the women, the version in Narayangaon has big troupes of over 100 people, whereas, in Sangli and Satara, the tamasha is performed under a tree.
Express Photo by Pavan Khengre Apart from the pandemic, tamasha troupes have for years been bearing the brunt of the wider accessibility to television and other sources of entertainment. The groups, however, continue to survive, putting up a show dabbling in drama, comedy, Lavani and other art forms for its audience every year.
Express Photo by Pavan Khengre 
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