Ghangdi player from the Rathva Community
This particular project is audio-visual documentation of one of the last surviving Ghangdi artisans of the Rathva community. Ghangdi is a musical instrument made from bamboo and has always been popular in the Rathva community, being played on various occasions such as marriages, fairs and other festivals. In this short, interactive piece, Tanshing Rathva demonstrates the numerous ways in which this unique musical instrument can be played. He and his family members enthusiastically share their knowledge of this instrument while delighting the viewers with their wonderful performance on the tunes of Ghangdi. I and my colleague Kedar Namdas were in an awe with their enthusiasm and performance.
I carried out audio-visual documentation for ArtLab Studio, Pune for their international residency program that involved several artists from India and abroad coming together to create sustainable artwork from scrap. This has been one-of-a-kind process documentation wherein every little step right from scratch has been documented until the completion of the artwork. Owing to the essential details at every stage of the development, this project was demanding where time duration was concerned and challenging in terms of camera handling and agility.
Hurra nritya is especially performed during festivals. Hurra nritya is performed by both men and women who dress in colourful clothes, shining ornaments, and earrings. Mangars consider their ancestors as gods. Their gods are their ancestors and forefathers. They show their faith in ancestors, to make them happy and celebrate Barahi mizung festival. Hurra nritya is just performed sometime before the beginning of festival. If we observe the lyrics of Hurra nritya, It showcase that the crops, field, farms are ready for harvest. In the same happiness and to give utmost heartfelt tribute to their ancestors. They conduct worship along with this Hurra nritya for entertainment.
This particular piece is a very short one, briefly providing an overview of the Rabari community and its nomadic life. This audio-visual captures the nomadic Rabari in action as moves around grazing his sheep while reminiscing his origins and recounting the various places he has been to across India. He further shares a few experiences from his personal life and narrates the varied consequences of leading a nomadic life that has left a deep impact on him and his family.