Bahurupia
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A mimic, an actor, a person assuming various characters and disguises. Bahurupias are believed to have been origin-ally low-caste Hindus, who on their conversion to Islam affected to trace their descent from Umari-yar, the court jester of Naushirwan. They often appear in the | A mimic, an actor, a person assuming various characters and disguises. Bahurupias are believed to have been origin-ally low-caste Hindus, who on their conversion to Islam affected to trace their descent from Umari-yar, the court jester of Naushirwan. They often appear in the | ||
guise of a decrepit old woman, her face puckered with gab juice, who calls herself Akbar's nurse. Another popular role is that of Siv-Gauri, in which the Bahurupia. gets up one side of his person as Riva and the other as Gauri, and conducts a humorous dialogue between tho two. | guise of a decrepit old woman, her face puckered with gab juice, who calls herself Akbar's nurse. Another popular role is that of Siv-Gauri, in which the Bahurupia. gets up one side of his person as Riva and the other as Gauri, and conducts a humorous dialogue between tho two. | ||
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| + | The Bahurupia, or mimic, of Bengal is usually a Muhammadan, but any one possessing the talent acquires the name. The Bahurupia is properly a low caste Hindu, allied to the Bhand, who, in most instances, has become a Muhammadan, tracing his descent from the great actor 'Umar-i-yar, the court jester of Noshirwan the Just. | ||
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| + | The Bahurupias dance and sing in character, but only to the accompaniment of the drum (dhol) and cymbals (manjira). By means of Gab juice they pucker their faces, and, putting on a beard and moustaches, mimic the childish' treble of extreme old age. A popular exhibition with Bengalis is called " Siv-Gauri," for which the Bahurupia gets himself up with one side attired as Siv, the other as Gauri, and imitates the different tones of voice, gait, and gestures of the two sexes with so much art as to deceive many of the audience. | ||
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| + | The Bahurupia is not degraded, but eats and intermarries, with the old Muhammadans, although he is an abomination in the eyes of the puritanical Farazis. | ||
| + | =Notes= | ||
Latest revision as of 06:50, 12 November 2017
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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[edit] Bahurupia
A mimic, an actor, a person assuming various characters and disguises. Bahurupias are believed to have been origin-ally low-caste Hindus, who on their conversion to Islam affected to trace their descent from Umari-yar, the court jester of Naushirwan. They often appear in the guise of a decrepit old woman, her face puckered with gab juice, who calls herself Akbar's nurse. Another popular role is that of Siv-Gauri, in which the Bahurupia. gets up one side of his person as Riva and the other as Gauri, and conducts a humorous dialogue between tho two.
The Bahurupia, or mimic, of Bengal is usually a Muhammadan, but any one possessing the talent acquires the name. The Bahurupia is properly a low caste Hindu, allied to the Bhand, who, in most instances, has become a Muhammadan, tracing his descent from the great actor 'Umar-i-yar, the court jester of Noshirwan the Just.
The Bahurupias dance and sing in character, but only to the accompaniment of the drum (dhol) and cymbals (manjira). By means of Gab juice they pucker their faces, and, putting on a beard and moustaches, mimic the childish' treble of extreme old age. A popular exhibition with Bengalis is called " Siv-Gauri," for which the Bahurupia gets himself up with one side attired as Siv, the other as Gauri, and imitates the different tones of voice, gait, and gestures of the two sexes with so much art as to deceive many of the audience.
The Bahurupia is not degraded, but eats and intermarries, with the old Muhammadans, although he is an abomination in the eyes of the puritanical Farazis.
