IMAGE IN MOTION

Bhavai

There is a constant evolving change in the world which is inevitable and sometimes necessary. Some changes happen through the surroundings and some happen due to human revolution. Today when the world has become characteristically globalized, we as common citizens require many different changes in every aspects of our life from lifestyle to living standard.
There are several social, educational, economical and environmental issues, which need not just the consideration but also demand significant changes. We can contribute in any way, from young to old, deprived to well-off, and from student to executive to monitor and channelize in a good way.

In that consideration to continue I choose the format of 'Bhavai'.
The structure of Bhavai, is depending just on the subject which you want to talk about. Like any other structure it has start, middle part and end. Writers as well as the actors can change the chronology and the format as per the demand of the subject. There are three things are very important in Bhavai- 1) chronology of the questions of the subject, 2) importance of the questions, 3) summary of the subject in the end. Since there is no restriction in the structure of Bhavai anybody whoever is participating can include or remove any data from the layout.
History of Bhavai
• Bhavai is a form of folk theater art where the term Bhavai is derived from ‘Bhav’, i.e. ‘world’, or ‘Bhava’ or ‘emotion’. The word Bhavai is basically derived from Sanskrit word ‘Bahava’.
• Bhavai started during 14th century, excommunicated Brahman named Asaita Thakar. He started writing plays with prose dialogue which was perhaps inspired by one of the medieval Sanskrit uparupaka forms.

• He is said to have introduced 360 scripts called ‘vesha’ which literally menace ‘dress’, in later days it came to be known as ‘Bhavai’. In presant time only 60 veshas are active or alive.
• There are also various kind of ‘Ragas’ and ‘Tals’ are included like; ‘Ramgiri’, ‘Bihag’, ‘Bilaval’, ‘Todi’, ‘Malhar’, ‘Ashavari’ and ‘Sortho’, ‘Japtal’, ‘Dipchandi’, ‘Chautal’ etc.
• Premature Bhavai was staged open –air in front of temples as a community ritual honoring the Goddess Amba. Before the artist start everyone gathered near a large sing ‘Garbi’ religious song in the praise of Amba Ma.
• During 17th and 18th centuries in the beginning of ‘Aakanki’ (short play) Bhavai used to play to gather people and communicate what was there purpose and meaning of play.
• Many times, celebration, safety and religious intention was the inspiration for Bhavai.
• The places like : ‘Pansar’, ‘Brahman Vada’, ‘Sarvad’, ‘Rajkot’, ‘Bhavnagar’, ‘Gondal’ were very famous for it. Bhavai was the biggest attraction of fair, communal gathering, festivals.
• Mainly Bhavai was performed ‘Brahmin’, ‘Nager’, ‘Patel’ and ‘Vaghri’ communities.
• Premature Bhavai was staged open –air in front of temples as a community ritual honoring the Goddess Amba. Before the artist start everyone gathered near a large sing ‘Garbi’ religious song in the praise of Amba Ma.
• During 17th and 18th centuries in the beginning of ‘Aakanki’ (short play) Bhavai used to play to gather people and communicate what was there purpose and meaning of play.
• Many times, celebration, safety and religious intention was the inspiration for Bhavai.
• The places like : ‘Pansar’, ‘Brahman Vada’, ‘Sarvad’, ‘Rajkot’, ‘Bhavnagar’, ‘Gondal’ were very famous for it. Bhavai was the biggest attraction of fair, communal gathering, festivals.
• Mainly Bhavai was performed ‘Brahmin’, ‘Nager’, ‘Patel’ and ‘Vaghri’ communities.

Plastic Pollution in Bhavai
The script of Bhavai is depicting the three major issues.
· The over usage of the Plastic items.
· The burning of plastic garbage.
· Irresponsibility & corruption from masses and government

- By Dhara Desai.

The Plastic Pollution

Installation

In my high school one incident made me very annoyed and sad. One expecting cow died of eating plastic bag while delivering a baby cow. That disaster forced me to think how plastic usage and littering are creating problems. Every morning I witness burning of plastic with organic waste, which would be the worst thing, you can do it to yourself and to others. In my studio project when I was looking for a subject about Image and Environment that incident came in my mind, so I decided to work on plastic pollution. Image was not clear in the beginning for the last destination, but I knew from where to start. For that, survey was necessary to see the actual disaster. I decided to go around in my neighborhood ‘Navrangpura’ to see what would be the scenario of the Plastic pollution in a small area. After doing the survey and putting together the actual numbers of plastic usage, I realized that there are huge numbers of people who use various plastic items in large number. The statistical data helped me to understand the basic cause of the problem, which was more littering than using. By interviewing people on different roads in ‘Navrangpura’ including users and sellers, I came across the drastic numbers. It was devastating to see our neighborhood under so much of plastic pollution.
My dilemma did not stop there, after having all the data, I was struggling how to put the numbers into community in an artistic form, so that can evoke interest in people to go back and change their mind set and rethink about their life style. Finally I came to the conclusion to make Navrangpura’s map out of plastic trash in the size of 15 feet by 30 feet. So after having a lot of struggle I decided to collect garbage as much as I can in various forms and sizes from Navrangpura area. This included the ‘Water Pouches’, ‘Guthkha covers’, ‘Polyethylene Bags’ all those plastic items, which we don’t recycle. I did the sterilization process of these plastic trashes to make an installation. The water pouches ware stitched in 5feet by 5feet, in all 18 such pieces. Design of Navrangpura’s map was done by ‘Guthkha Covers’ and ‘Polyethylene Bags’ on those 18 pieces. The numbers of statistic data were displayed with recycled black plastic bags. The entire experience was very nice and I gained knowledge of practical art very much by doing this.

- By Dhara Desai.