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Swang
Swang is a sort of semi-religious metrical play in which episodes from
the lives of celebrated heroes are depicted.
It is partly
acted and partly recited and is performed by professional ballad singers
at festivals like Holi, Basant and Dussehra. There is generally preference
for a hero whose virtuous life may help arouse religious feelings among
the people. Some of the favourite Swangs present incidents from the life
of Puran Bhagat, Gopi Chand and Hakkekat Rai. Nala Damayanthi and Roop
Basant are the other popular Swang. On important fairs, groups of entertainers
enact these Swangs in order to instill religious feelings into the people.
The performances are mostly musical and the songs are
set to popular folk tunes. They are among the finest assortments of folk-songs,
music, metrical dialogues, acting and dancing all very cleverly linked
by an episodic commentary but the main speaker. |
