1. Panhadev Secondary School, Kalikot, Nepal.

*             Correspondence: cpkoirala@gmail.com

Keywords: Tharu, Nepal, Art, Culture, Tharu community, Tarai, dance, Dangura Tharu, Hindu

1. INTRODUCTION

The Tharu community, the third largest ethnic group in Nepal, is found in the low land of Tarai from east to west and has a unique cultural tradition. They occupy 6.7% of Nepal’s total population, with their traditional territory being called Tharuhat or Tharuwan [1]. The Tharu have deep affiliations with rivers, forests, and the land, and they love fishing in the pond or river with the help of Tapi, Helka, Cheudi, and Jal. They are non-vegetarian and consume various foods, including Machhi, Sura, Musuwa, Gangta, Sutahi, Ghoghi, and Ghoghi, with alcohol [2]. Their main occupation is agriculture, and they have turned the region into prime agricultural land over the last two hundred years. Due to their isolation in the Tarai and Dun regions, they wear very little and light clothes, with men wearing Bheguwa and a plain white cotton full shirt called Jhuluwa, while women wear Lehenga and Choliya, made of cotton fabric with peculiar floral designs [3]. Tharu women load themselves with silver or brass ornaments, such as silk scarfs, Phuli or Nathiya, bangles called Tra, Pote necklaces, real or fake Muga, and necklaces called Sutiya.The Tharu do not speak a single language known as TharuBhasa but rather a mixture of local languages and diolects. Major Tharu dialects include Maithali influenced dialect (spoken from Mechi in the east to Bagmati in the west), Bhojpuri influenced dialect (spoken from Bagmati in the east to Tinau in the west), Awadhi influenced dialect (spoken from Tinau in the east to Karnali in the west), and Khadi influenced dialect spoken from Karnali in the east to Mahakali in the west [4]. Like other existing groups, Tharu also have their own characteristics forms of flock art that they take care of and pass on to their children. Aesthetic is culture universal, including all sorts of arts and crafts, such as graphic and plastic arts, festivals, dance, drama, and music. Each art acts as a mirror to reflect on the people who produce it and their cultural site [5]. Life and art are inseparable entities, interwoven with each other. Art is an indispensable need of humanity, planted in the soul of the child as in primitive man. It is the art each race gives its civilization its distinct character and rhythms. Tharus are a culturally rich people with a rich history of performing arts, food items, deities, folk traditions, and art. They have their own methods of purifying individuals and shaping their way of life. The aestheticity of Tharu culture is observed in their festivals, rituals de rites, and construction of their houses. The Tharu concept of compact settlement pattern further clarifies their belief in humanity, peace, love, cooperation, coexistence, and fraternity. The practice of worshiping the Supreme Being is a universal phenomenon among Tharu, who worship their Bhutuwa (deties and spirits) and are generally done by the village head (mahaton) and a Guruwa [6].The Tharu people have a distinct cultural identity shaped by their traditions, rituals, and festivals. The Guruwa, a male religious leader, conducts rites and rituals, while the Mahato’s house serves as a venue for communal ceremonies. The Dangura Tharu, descendants of King Dangi Saran, live in joint families and prioritize community effort. Tharu people observe various lifecycle rites and festivals throughout the year, including Maghi, Dasya, Holi, and Barka Atwari. Maghi, their most significant festival, is a time for feasting, dancing, and celebration, where family members come together and divide property. Dasya, similar to Hindu Vijya Dashami, involves sowing maize seeds and offering Dhikri cakes to deities. Holi is a festival of colors, where Tharu people drink alcohol and enjoy with colors. These festivals showcase the Tharu’s rich cultural heritage and their connection to their traditions and community [7]. Despite influences from Hindu traditions, the Tharu people have maintained their unique cultural identity, which is reflected in their festivals, rituals, and way of life.The Tharu people have a rich cultural heritage, evident in their traditional festivals, music, dance, and art. During festivals like Maghi, men fast and then share food with their sisters, while women and children participate in celebrations like Astimki, which features murals and traditional songs. Tharu folk art and traditional games also showcase their unique culture. Cultural performances, such as dance and music festivals, play a significant role in promoting familial unity and expressing ethnic identity among the Tharu people [8]. Their traditional songs and dances are rooted in local grounds and reflect their culture, geography, and language. Tharu dances are typically group performances, accompanied by music played on traditional instruments like the Mandra and Daffa. The Maghi Naach, a traditional dance performed during the Maghi festival and New Year celebration, is a notable example of Tharu cultural performance [9]. However, modernization has led to a decline in these cultural practices, which are now mostly preserved by older, illiterate individuals in remote villages. Despite this, the study of Maghi Naach offers valuable insights into Tharu culture and creative expression. Through performance theory, we can understand the significance of cultural performances like Maghi Naach in exploring and showcasing Tharu identity and community. By examining these performances, we can appreciate the richness and diversity of Tharu culture and the importance of preserving it for future generations [10].

2. THEORETICAL MODALITY: CULTURAL DANCE AS PERFORMANCE

Culture and performance are intricately linked phenomena that play a vital role in human expression and identity [11]. Culture is a complex mental construct shaped by a society’s beliefs, attitudes, and values, making it unique and self-reflexive. Cultural performance is an expressive form of culture that not only showcases human behavior but also helps understand, interpret, and analyze a community’s way of life. Performance theory highlights the significance of cultural media, such as singing, dancing, and acting, in conveying cultural values and norms [12]. Traditional songs, like those of the Tharu people, are rich in history and contain dramatic elements like music, dance, and plot. Dance performances embody culturally constructed norms and values, while rituals create a larger frame that involves communal, traditional, and divine elements [13]. Theories of performance, such as those by Richard Schechner and Victor Turner, emphasize the importance of understanding performance as a social drama. Schechner’s theory posits that performances are marked by entertainment and efficacy, which create a continuum of performance. Turner’s work highlights the four phases of public action: breach, crisis, redressive, and reintegration [14]. Performance is a crucial element in human life, providing guidance and direction to performers and allowing them to understand and transform their world. Cultural performances like dance, ritual, and festival enable us to face and vicariously resolve life problems. They are not just mirror-reflections of life but also active agents of change and progress, educating people and transmitting a society’s cultural heritage from generation to generation. Ultimately, performance is a powerful tool for shaping human identity and culture [15]. It has the capacity to heal individuals, reflect a rhythm that brings human sensations to make life better, and act as remnants of a glorious past that gives us our cultural identity. By understanding the complex relationship between culture and performance, we can appreciate the significance of performance in shaping our lives and communities [15].

3. RESULT & DISCUSSION

Maghi Naach is a group work of different performers like Nachuiya, Gowaiya and Mandrawa, all of them participate in equal extent in order to form Maghi Naach alive. The performer usually consist of15 to 20 members. Each performance group is formed after having discussion among the youngsters before the performance day. Though there are not formal classes for the Naach, every performer knows how to act out the assigned characture.  The charm of very Naach gets spoiled in the case of unequal participations among the performers. The Naach begins from the singers, and by following the rhythm of songs, the Mandrawa and Naachuiya perform their charismatic performance together. Gawaiya, the singers in Maghi performance, get divided in to two groups representing either father and daughter or Sali and Bhatu. As Maghi songs are duet types, the singers take their respective sides, and the duet songs get expressed in panoramic and aesthetic manner. That is to say, the songs go in answer-question pattern. Though the singers are all females, they boldly and confidently act upon the given roles to run the Maghi performance. The songs carry various themes with different motives, for example, the songs sung in the part of Sali and Bhatu generally depicts the glorification of ornaments and the crazy wishes of Sali to have them, in order to be cosmetify herself. In the same fashion, the Bhatu answers that he will buy them next time. Bhatu once again persuades her that the ornaments demanded by Sali have been too much expensive that he couldn’t afford them. However, it is Sali, who hopes that Bhatu will be the source of different ornaments, and appeals for those ornaments like Tikuli, sendur, Kajula, Tara etc. As the song goes:

Sali: Sakari Goliya, namki Shahariya re han – 2

Shakhiya ho, Nani deho Bhatu Sindur Bajar – 4 .

Bhatu : gainu bagariya, dekhanu senduriya re han – 2

Shakhiya ho, salik sindur bhoila mahanga – 4

Sali: Sakari galiya, Namaki Sa0hariya re han – 2

Sakhiya ho, nanideho Bhatu jhobanna Bazary.

Bhotu: Gainu bazariya, dekhanu Jhobanna re han – 2

Sakhiya ho, salik Jhobanna bhaila mahanga – 4

In the above songs, Sali asks Bhatu, who is going to lamki bazaar, to buy some cosmetic and ornaments for her. In response Bhatu says that he went to lamki, and saw them but he could buy it because it was expensive.this song highlights the intimate relation of Sali and Bhatu existing in Tharu tradition.  Similarly the songs between father and daughter also revolve around the themes of ornaments. The passion of daughter towards expensive attire compels her to ask her father to buy them. But her father presents the same reason of inaccessibility up to that position to decorate his idiosyncratic daughter, as put forwarded by her Bhatu. He tries to make assure his daughter that next year he will work hand and manage the demand.

Chai: Sendur, sendur kanu baba sendur nai ledelere – 2

Sakiyaho, sendur ka karan baba chornu duwar – 4

Baba: Aausak sala dhiya sendur mahang bhailarihan – 2

Sakhiya ho, Aago sala dhiya dehabu bisai.

Daughter: Kajla, kajla kanu baba kajla nai ledere re – 2

Sakhiya ho, kajulaka karan baba chornu duwar –  4

Father: auska sala dhiya kajula mahang bhaila re han – 2

Sakhiya ho, Aga sala dhiya dehabu besai – 4                     

In this way, the song depicts the loving relation between father and daughter. Apparently, there is not communication gaps and sense of hierarchy. The daughter feels free and frank enough to put her demands Therefore, in above song , the daughter says she left the house because he couldn’t buy cosmetics for her. In response, father promises that he would buy them next year since the price is high now. In addition to above mentioned themes, the Maghi songs revel the hardship of their life, their economic condition. The songs which talks about the performance are known as situational songs. Such songs carry step wise information as the performers go a head during the performance. At the beginning of performance, they inform the house owner about their arrival into their yard through songs collectively. It makes the home owner ready to observe and participate in Maghi singers performance:

I: Aai gaili ho hamre tuhari duwariya –  4

II: Utho beli phako ojarara  – 4

III: Bara mahina pache Magi je ata re han – 2

Dui dina ho hamar hasana khelana – 4

All of the performers carry on their divided tasks for the ritual excellence. Most importantly, Tharu songs are also distinctive for its Meta quality. The songs themselves have vital role in instructing the Naach for different actions. For instance, Gawaiya ask Naachuiya for improving dancing skills. Even the audiences are persuaded through the songs in order to impress and make them offer the large amount of money willingly. They even appeal the audience to get the expected fund by making the satiric comments on those who are unwilling to provide them. The songs itself has vital role in instructing the Nachuiya for different actions. For example, it may be of suitable dancing or it may be for persuading the audience in order to impress and make them offer the large amount of money willingly. They collectively sing “Kasari baithi baniya kahe muski maralo, dari daro gojhi ya kahi dama – 4” .They even appeals the audience to get the expected fund by making the irony to those who are unwilling to provide them:

I: Kaili bakasiya kholanehi sekalo, dari daro gojhiya kahi dama. –  4

1. Bharali Bakasiya kholanhi sakalo, dari daro gojhiya kahi dama .

On top of that, the songs performed in the evening, depict the high grandeur of nature. As Tharu people have close relation with nature, their songs, to great extent, incline and praise the nature. In such songs, they talk about the plants like Babari Tulsi, Aamilic, and so on. One of the Maghi song goes:

Han hanre hon, Aagana bahari ghurara lagainu – 2

Ginha mana Jamire gaili Tulasa, Bebari  – 2

 

The plants like Tulsa, Bebari, Belata and Babur etc., as mentioned in the songs, have cultural importance among the Tharus. These plants are the plants of frequent use in Tharu ritual celebration. For instance, in Dashain they use Bebari as Jamara. Bebari is considered as a sacred plant. Tharu do not offer other flowers to their deities as Hindu do. Rather they offer Baberi to their Bhutuwa (deities). Mandrawa, a drummer, is single male performer except all the females. His major function is to play the Mandra (Madel) in accordance to the rhythmic bits of songs. In Maghi dance, he remains a center of attraction among the performers. So far costume is concerned, he wears the typical Tharu dress Kamij and Dhoti. He also puts Pheta around his head. In this ritual occasion, Mandra itself can’t escape with the decorative furnishment. The Mandra looks as an attractive instrument with Jhalars (a colorful cloth with different fabrication) and small pieces of mirror on it. Mandrawa, in typical costume and the Mandra, gets emotional during the action and produce different movements as dancer. He is supposed to be more skillful in playing Mandra and in dancing. It is because, in Maghi Naach, the performers have to sing different songs according to the time: day songs and evening songs. So the Mandrawa has to play in accordance to the schedules of time. Mandrawa makes the beats like Tau-chak-daun-daun, and Chak-dimna-chkaimna in day time, whereas Tau-chakdaun-nak, and Chak-dimna-chakdimna in the evening. Generally, the distinction in beats signifies different time of performance, especially the day and evening.  The third element to be dealt with the Maghi Naach is Nachuiya. Nachuiya has also the equal role to that of former one i.e. Gawaiya. With the coordination of Mandrawa and Gawiaya, she performs the skillful and fascinating dance, which gives a complete perfection and panoramic charm to the Tharu cultural ritual, Maghi Naach. As usual to the former elements, costumes for Naachuiya are not an exception. She wears Choliya and Lehenga, Agharan is the typical costume which broods over the choliya, decorates the body quite charmingly. Again, in terms of ornaments, Ghugra in legs, necklace of paisa and Pote in neck, the silver Tra in wrists and arms have vital significance in beautifying the Nachuiya. Moreover, including Nachuiya, the sawiya have same bunch of lock twisted within it which is called Jhonti in Tharu. The other costume, but very important, is Fariya which is tied on the Lehenga on the waist. Phariya has a supportive role to make the dance fascinating. The Naachuiwa twists and forwards the Fariya left and right, backward and forward, and up and down while dancing. Among the different steps of dances, the special action called Paisalootna, an act of picking up offered money, is the central aesthetics of this cultural performance. The same step ‘Paisalootna’ includes various actions, with the active involvement of her bodily part. The step allows the body fall upside down, then either eyes or the mouth perform the great effort to catch the placed note or coin on Gatiya (a kind of cloth handkerchief). The dancer has to struggle hard to pick up the money in the case of problems, i.e. sometimes the audiences drop the notes which are shank into chilly powder or the oily coins on plate so that it causes pain while doing the act of holding money. Generally, this act is said to be the part of Maghi culture, which has not a special significance. It, however, is done for the sake of public entertainment.

Rai kheta masuri masuri kheta rai re han,

Aaya kheta ho mor sutiya herai – 4

The very paradoxical line from the Maghi songs express something about their agricultural life one the one hand, on the other it reveals the hardship, sorrowful conditions of farmers’ life. The term Sutiya is used   metaphorically in the song. It signifies pitiful condition of Tharu female life. Since Tharu people live agrarian life, they find themselves lost in the field. That’s why they sing’’ I have lost my Sutiya in the field of mustard or in the field of lentil’’. It also displays confusing state of mind .When one is so much oppressed, he looses his or her concuss. Every culture is dynamic; therefore Tharu can’t be an exception. The dynamism of Tharu culture becomes visible in some songs called Kathaura Kathaura is a mixed song of Tharu and Nepali languages. Especially, new generation who have command over Nepali language sing it perfectly. Though the Gawaiya modify Nepali language in to their tune, it is easily understood by Nepali speakers. Such types of songs, in Maghi performance, are sung at the middle of performance. The singer bursts as:

Tebul kursi chaina bhatu  baitho gundari yama.

Kati khane supari lai phori khane hoina

Jau jau bhenney  soltina lai chori  jane hoine.

The above mentioned songs clearly visualize the dynamic aspect of Tharu culture, that is, how new style and activity are added with the pace of time in Tharu culture. Similarly, it also states how two different languages can exist to form beautiful lines of songs. This advocates their belief in coexistence and mutual harmony among the different cultural people .In other words, the Tharus live in harmonious relation with Brahmins and Chhetryas.

4. CONCLUSION

The Tharu people, the largest ethnic group in Terai, have a rich cultural heritage and distinct identity. They possess unique customs, traditions, and artistic expressions, such as their festivals, music, dance, and handicrafts. The Maghi Naach, a traditional group performance dance, is a significant aspect of Tharu culture, reflecting their values, experiences, and way of life. The performance involves dancers, singers, and musicians, and is characterized by its rhythmic movements and songs that convey themes of love, suffering, and agricultural life. The Maghi Naach serves as a socio-aesthetic mirror of the Tharu community, showcasing their cultural pathos, customs, and beliefs. The performance is deeply rooted in Tharu culture and is a means of expressing their experiences, needs, and desires. The songs and dances are drawn from their village life, and the performance is a testament to the community’s creativity and artistic ability. Ultimately, the Maghi Naach is a celebration of Tharu culture and identity, highlighting the importance of cultural performance in shaping and expressing community values and aesthetics. It demonstrates the interconnectedness of culture and performance, where culture provides the raw materials for artistic expression, and performance serves to showcase and preserve cultural heritage.

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