Behrupiya
A behrupiya or bahrupiya (Hindustani: बहरूपिया or بہروپیا) is an impressionist in the traditional performing arts of India, Nepal and Bangladesh.[1] Once popular and widespread, the art form is now in decline with most practitioners living in poverty.[2] It was once common for behrupiyas to make a dramatic entrance at wedding or other festivities dressed as a policeman, priest, or other figure and create a commotion.[2] The social norm surrounding these appearances was that the behrupiya usually collected no money if he was detected as an impersonator. However, if he was able to successfully convince his audience of his fake identity, he would then reveal it and be awarded a baksheesh for having entertained the group.
Due to their expertise with disguise and impersonation, good behrupiyas were recruited as spies by medieval Indian kings.[3]
Etymology and alternative names
The term behrupiya is derived from the Sanskrit words bahu (many) and roop (form or appearance). The mostly-obsolete term naqqal (नक़्क़ाल or نقّال, meaning mimic or copycat) is also infrequently used for behrupiyas.[4] Sometimes, behrupiyas are also simply called maskharas (मसख़रा or مسخره, an Arabic loanword in Hindustani, and a more general term for jester or buffoon) or bhands, who are the traditional actors, dancers, storytellers and entertainers of the Indian subcontinent.[4][5]
References
- Saccidānandan, Sahitya Akademi, Authors speak, Sahitya Akademi, 2006, ISBN 978-81-260-1945-8,
... Adaab-arz, Sir, I am a bahrupiya at your service." (A bahrupiya was a professional mime who imitated people.) That's how it happened in my days. Such things are rarely seen today ...
- "बहरूपिए: दूसरों को ख़ुश रखने वाले आज ख़ुद दुखी हैं (Behrupiyas: Today, those who cheer others are themselves unhappy)", LiveHindustan (Hindi), July 17, 2010,
... एक जमाना था, जब उन्हें सम्मान से देखा जाता था, लेकिन मनोरंजन के तौर-तरीकों में आ रहे बदलाव के साथ उनकी हालत बद से बदतर हो रही है ... शादी वाली रात की भोर बेला में ... बाहर पुलिस का एक सब-इंस्पेक्टर खड़ा डांट फटकार रहा था ... उसका आरोप था ... बारात घर में बिजली अवैध कनेक्शन से जलाई जा रही थी। घराती और बरात पक्ष वाले सुलह-सफाई में जुट गए। तनाव जब अपने चरम पर था तभी दरोगा जी ने एक जोरदार सेल्यूट झाड़कर खुद का परिचय गिरधर बहरूपिए के तौर पर दिया। लोगों के हंसी ठट्ठे के बीच बख्शीश के 100 रुपये लेकर वह तो चला गया (they were once seen with respect, but changing tastes have seen their lot go from bad to worse ... on the wedding night ... a subinspector of police was loudly accusing the wedding organizers of stealing electricity. The family members and organizers were desperately attempting to sort things out. When the tension was at its height, the inspector performed a grand salute and revealed himself to be Giridhar the Behrupiya. Amidst peals of laughter from the wedding party he collected his Baksheesh of Rs 100 and left ...
- Narayan Bareth (March 10, 2010), "दम तोड़ती बहरूपिया कला (The dying art of the Behrupiyas)", BBC,
... राजाओं-महराजाओं के समय बहुरूपिया कलाकारों को हुकूमतों का सहारा मिलता था. लेकिन अब ये कलाकार और कला दोनों मुश्किल में ... हम रियासत के लिए जासूसी भी करते During the days of kings and emperors, behrupiya artists received state patronage. But now both the artists and the art are in difficulty ... We would also spy for the state ...
- S.W. Fallon, John Drew Bate, A new English-Hindustani dictionary: with illustrations from English literature and colloquial English, E.J. Lazarus, 1883,
... bah-rupiya; maskhara. Mime, n. 1. ek suang. 2. an actor, suangi; Mimetic, Mimetical, adj. naqli. Mimic, Mimical, adj. 1. inclined to ape, naqli. 2. consisting of imitation, naqli ; hansika. Mimic, n. suangya. ; naqqal ; bahrupiya ...
- Manohar Laxman Varadpande, History of Indian theatre, Volume 2History of Indian Theatre, Manohar Laxman Varadpande, Abhinav Publications, 1992, ISBN 978-81-7017-278-9,
... The most popular of the medieval folk entertainers who still linger on the Indian scene are the Bhands. In Sanskrit Bhand means jester ... Bhands were patronised by the people and royalty alike ...