Nar, Nata, Nartaka, Nataka
This article is an extract from
THE TRIBES and CASTES of BENGAL. Ethnographic Glossary. Printed at the Bengal Secretariat Press. 1891. . |
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Nar, Nata, Nartaka, Nataka
There is little doubt that the Nar, or Nata, of Bengal, are identical with the Kathak of Hindustan, and a tradition survives that the caste first came to Dacca in the days of the Nawabs, and received the name of Nata from the Sanskrit for a dancer; but it is also said that originally they were the same as the Nada who manufacture lac bracelets. Ward mentions that in his day none of the caste were to be found in Bengal, and that the Brahmans traced their descent from a Malakar and a female Sudra. The modern Natas, not satisfied with this pedigree, claim to be the offspring of Bharadvaja Muni and a dancing girl, and assert that the Ganak Brahmans are sprung from a son of the same holy man. In Hindustan1 the Kathaks still wear the Brahamical cord, and confer their "Asir-bad," or benediction, on Sudras, but in Bengal the Nars no longer do so, as the original settlers, being few in number, were obliged to take wives from mean castes, and became degraded. Although the Nar caste requires to support a Brahman of its own, the Sudra Napit and Dhoba work for it. The Nars have one gotra, the Bharadvaja, and their patronymics are Nandi and Bhakta, by which latter title the caste is sometimes known, but whenever an individual excels in music he is dignified by the title Ustad.
When young, the Nar boys are taught dancing, being known as Bhagtiyas; but on reaching manhood they become musicians, or Saparda, and attend on dancing girls (Bai), who are usually Muhammadans. In former days, no Hindu girls ever danced in public, although dancers among the Bazi-gir, and other vagrant tribes, were common, but at present Boistubis, and Hindu prostitutes, are often professional "Nach" girls. There has been a tendency within the last thirty years for the Nar caste to separate into two classes, one teaching boys to dance and playing to them, the other attending the Muhammadan Bai. The latter are the better paid, and more skilful musicians, and a band (Sapardai) accompanying a popular dancing girl often earn as much as twenty rupees a night, while the former consider they are well paid if they get five rupees for one night's amusement. The musical instruments generally used by the Nars are the "Sarangi," or fiddle, the "Tabla," or drum, and the "manjira," or cymbals. Nars treat their instruments with great veneration, and always, on first rising in the morning, make obeisance before them. On the Sri Panchami, in Magh, sacred to Sarasvati, a Nar will not play a note until the worship of the goddess is finished.
Like the Rishi women, the Nar will not play, sing, or dance in public, although at marriages of their own people they still do so.
It is currently believed that many Nars have of late years become Muhammadans, but this accusation is denied by the
1 In Oudh the Kathaks call themselves Brahmans, and their pedigree is traced from a Chhatri father and a Bais, or Rajput, mother. They intermarry with kinsmen, called Kirtannia (S. Kirtiya, a dancer) and Bbagatoa (Bhagtiya). "Notes on the Races, &c., of Avadh," by P. Carnegy. App. B. 91.
caste. It is nevertheless true that when a Saparda falls in love with a dancing girl his only chance of marrying her is by becoming a Muhammadan.
A large proportion of the Dacca Nars inhabit an old Sarae, or caravansary, called Bhagtiya Katra, built in the seventeenth century by an eunuch named Khwajah 'Ambar.
Many other settlements of this caste are met with in the interior, differing in several respects from the city families. For instance, the Nars of Bikrampur affect the manners of a high-born race, tracing their descent from no earthly parent, but from a Nata of India's heaven, banished for some delinquency, and degraded to the lowest rank of Hindu society. Like other Sudras, these Nars celebrate the Sraddha on the thirtieth day, are generally Vaishnavas creed, and have a Patit Brahman to officiate to them. They decline to play in the houses of the Chandals, Bhuinmalis, and other low castes, and, as their services are no longer required, have ceased to perform before Muhammadans. At weddings the Bikrampur Nars play on the "Behla" (fiddle), "Naqarah" (drum), and "Kasa" (a variety of fiddle). If he has no ear for music the Nar becomes a cultivator or a shopkeeper, without any loss of respectability. The Hindu Nar occupies a position corresponding to that of the Muhammadan Bajunia, but the former is more sought after, as no Hindu will have a Muhammadan musician in his house if he can possibly avoid it.
At Gopinathput, in the east of the Dacca district, there is a settlement of the caste, celebrated as "Dholiyas," or drummers, who are in great request at marriages and religious ceremonies. The "Dhol" is an instrument of unwieldy dimensions, and, hanging in front, is beaten with the right hand, and with a stick held in the left.
All Bengali singers use a musical treatise, called "Raga-mala," written in the vernacular with the "Raga" and "Ragini" of each song marked The words are Hindustani, and are generally composed by masters residing in Lucknow, Allahabad, or Benares; but of late years Bengali gentlemen have shown a preference for songs written in their own language. Skilled professional singers, both men and women, learn to improvise, and execute variations (Tan1) while singing; and, on becoming adepts, a special musician playing on a "Tan-pura," or instrument of four strings, accompanies them.
Native singers maintain that Ganjha ruins the voice; but that a drink composed of rice-water, sugar-candy, and black pepper improves and strengthens it. With few exceptions all dancing girls smoke Ganjha to excess.
1 Sanskrit, "Tana," a tone, keynote.
Throughout Eastern Bengal the most popular performers are undoubtedly the Kabi-wali, or Jhumar, who chaunts ribald songs extempore, and the Kemta wali, usually a Hindu Kasbin, whose dancing is as lascivious as that of the Kahrua, or fandango, dancer of Upper India. During the annual holidays sacred to Durga, incredible sums are paid to these performers, and celebrated artistes are sought for throughout India by the agents of the rich landholders.
Besides these various classes of musicians, dancers, and singers, the city of Dacca is enlivened on all occasions of festivity by bands of music. Enterprising Muhammadans, facetiously called "Majors," buy cracked wind instruments, threadbare red coats, and old shakos, which may have figured at Plassey, and allot them to individuals, often Farangis, whose only qualification is having sound lungs. These bands head all processions, and afford great pleasure to the populace, although the music to European ears is of the most horrid and discordant character.1
