Short Takes
Of folk theatre, tribes and communal politics
Reviewed by Randeep Wadehra

Hoor Menaka: The Seductress
by Rajbir Deswal
Pages: 48. Rs. 50

Since ancient times, there have been mutually enriching exchanges between folklore and Sanskrit texts. This is evident from the stories appearing in the various Puranas having similarities with those having plebian roots like oral literature. Haryana’s swang is a fine example of this process which involved a creative mix of history, mythology and fantasy. The story of Menaka and Vishvamitra appears, with certain variations, in different texts ranging from the Mahabharata to Kalidasa’s works. Some experts see in these stories evidence of ethnicity and caste-based rivalries. People from different castes used to become ascetics, called rishis. While Brahmins had the sole right to become devrishis (divine ascetics, the highest status an ascetic could reach), Kshatriyas could aspire to become rajrishis (royal ascetics, second-rung status). Rajrishi Vishvamitra was performing severe austerities in order to achieve his life’s ambition of becoming devrishi; but his enemies, who knew how insecure Indra always felt about his throne, decided to thwart Vishvamitra. They knew Indra would lend his ear to anyone who posed as his well-wisher and forewarned him of an impending threat. And, Indra was not above using his court’s females to seduce and destroy his potential rivals. Menaka, the celestial nymph, was the most desirable of females in Indra’s realm known as Indralok.

Thus, Indra sends Menaka to interrupt Vishvamitra’s penance and cause his fall. This slim volume explores the mindscapes of the two major characters – Menaka and Vishvamitra – when she descends from the heavens to seduce him. This work, originally in the form of Haryanvi folk theatre swang authored by Pt Lakhmi Chand, goes beyond Menaka’s success in her mission. It uses Shakuntala’s birth and subsequent abandoning by her parents as vehicle for message against female foeticide. That such efforts were on in rural Haryana even before the movement to protect the girl-child became fashionable would not have become known had Rajbir Deswal not published its English version. Kudos to him.

Being Tribal
by Shereen Ratnagar
Primus Books. Pages: xiii+111. Rs. 825

There are more than 700 Scheduled Tribes in India. But, even before this schedule was drawn up various anthropologists/ethno-archeologists had been documenting the lifestyles, customs, beliefs, traditions etc of different tribes in various parts of the country or, rather, the subcontinent. From these records, one learns of the eco-friendly lifestyles of diverse tribal populations. One also gets acquainted with their variegated cultures, languages, cuisines etc.

Ratnagar is an archaeologist who has worked on various social and economic aspects of cultures of the protohistoric period. Here, she focuses on the Rathwa people of Gujarat’s Tejgarh-Chhota Udepur area. The study traces the economic as well as social marginalization of Rathwas as their traditional way of living fell victim to the mainstream society’s onslaught. She discusses their present status and the need for positive discrimination to empower them.

Communal Politics in the Punjab
by Dr. Jagdish Kumar
Unistar. Pages: 157. Rs. 295

Social stratification in Punjab is as complex and stark as in the rest of the country, with caste and creed being major factors. The author has made pertinent points regarding the genesis and extent of communalism in Punjab but to blame it all on colonialism and such modern phenomena as democracy and socio-economic transformation does not represent the entire truth. The divisions were very much there in the pre-colonial or medieval times too. The British merely accentuated these divisions to promote their imperialistic agenda. The vote bank politics in today’s Punjab reflects the national trends. Our politicians have accepted the communal faultlines as unalterable. This book provides food for thought to all those who are interested in the socio-political scene in Punjab.

HOME