Dashavatar Theatre

Recently, Dashavatar performances in Maharashtra started.

• Dashavatar is a traditional folk theatre form from the Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra’s South Konkan region and the North Goa district of Goa.
• The term “Dashavatar” refers to the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu: Matsya (fish), Kurma (tortoise), Varaha (boar), Narasimha (lion-man), Vamana (dwarf), Parashurama, Rama, Krishna, Buddha, and Kalki.
• It has a history of over 800 years and is deeply rooted in Maharashtra and Goa’s cultural traditions.
• Performances are traditionally held in temple courtyards and are enacted by male performers, who also play female characters.
• The performance consists of two parts:
• Poorva-Ranga (Initial Session):Depicts the story of the demon Shankhasur’s defeat.
• Uttar-Ranga (Main Performance):Also called ‘akhyan’, it narrates stories from Hindu mythology, focusing on one of Vishnu’s incarnations.
• Musical instruments used include:
• Paddle harmonium (hand-pumped keyboard instrument).
• Tabla (pair of hand drums).
• Zanj (small metallic cymbals).