VII

 
THE PERFORMING ARTS: MUSIC, THEATRE, FILMS, AND DANCE

 

 

The "life enchancing" faith of Zoroastrianism commands its followers to celebrate life. The Parsis have followed this injuction to the fullest and have always enjoyed the good things of this world.

The performing arts in every culture have a very ancient heritage and are linked with religious observations and customs. Music and ceremonial songs accompanied traditional joyous events such as births, navjotes and weddings.

The traditional celebration of life among the Zoroastrians has been recorded by travellers since ancient times. In Gujarat the local influences were added to create a distinctive school of Parsi Gujarati Garbas and Khyals and the cross cultural inter-linking of Persian and Indian elements needs to be documented because it is one of the early elements in the creation of our pluralistic modern Indian society.

Parsis were pioneers in Gujarati theatre, in adaptations from Shakespeare and other English classics. Plays were often translated into Urdu to tap the markets of North India.

Similarly in music and modern dance, in films as well as in western classical and pop music in India, Parsi contribution was in the form of adaptation and fusion of the Western and Indian traditions.

Parsis have pioneered the adaptation of the kutputhli puppet tradition to modern themes and messages.

Collections of western musical scores and records, instruments both Indian and Western are found in many Parsi homes and need to be preserved.

To trace their contribution to the performing arts the Project will analyse the following;

 

THEATRE

MUSIC

DANCE AND

PUPPETRY

To trace the historical origins of Gujarati theatre, the translations and adaptations of Shakespeare and the origins of the Parsi Comedy.

Amateur Parsi dramatic societies have flourished in many locations, the Parsi Daramatic Soceity of Elphinstone College being formed as early as 1850.

The last in the tradition of the great Parsi theatre families is the Yezdi Karanjia Group of Surat who possess vast archival material worth documentation.

Costumes used in Parsi theatre can be collected as part of the archival/ museum programme.

The reprinting of certain very popular plays in the Adi Marzban tradition could be undertaken. The Marzban family, founders of the Bombay Samachar, contributed numerous plays in Gujarati which have been adapted over the years to suit popular taste.

Parsi theatre uses the comic genre for satiric purposes and for social reforms. Jehangir Marzban "The Mark Twain of the Parsis" was a philanthropist as well as a playwright.

 

Research and collation of the Parsi contribution to English theatre is necessary as is analysis of the tradition of Parsi Gujarati theatre, its satire on politics etc. continuing in English today.

The traditional Monajats in Gujarati through which children were taught the meaning of prayers were sung daily.

Women were the repositories of traditional ceremonial music and the Garbas of Gujarat were adapted to Parsi situations and legends.

The Garbas / Khyal of the heroism of the women of Vyara and other historical events including the Sanjan landing were sung with pride over the centuries and helped to preserve and pass on the traditions, history and legends.

Indian classical music was very popular and large collections of rare 78 rpm records are to be found even now in interior Gujarat

.

Pandit Keki Jijina, Aban Mistry, Zarine Daruwalla, Katrakji, Penaz Masani are some of those who continue the Parsi contribution in India Classical Music, research will reveal many more exponents.

Indian classical instruments such as the Dilruba are still found in Parsi homes because before the Piano took pride of place the ability to play an Indian Instrument was a necessary accomplishment for most Parsi girls.

In western music the band master tradition of Cassinath continued by Goody Seervai was a must for many Parsi celebrations in the towns and in Bombay.

K.S. Sorabji’s Second Piano Concerto is a work of immense length and complexity, other composers of western music need study and recording.

Pianists such as Zenobia Vakil, Tehmie Gazdar and the late Neville Chinoy have made their mark.

Zubin Mehta following in the foot steps of his father Mehli, founder of the Bombay Philharmonic Orchestra, has made an international contribution to western classical music. He is the only Indian who has conducted the major orchestras of the world including the New York Philharmonic Orchestra.

The Paramjoti Chorus conducted by Coomi Wadia has proved Indian success in western choral music by winning international awards.

Among other international figures was the late pop singer Freddie Mercury.

Some rare and valuable western classical instruments are in Parsi homes. These need to be catalogued and preserved.

From interpretations of the traditional Garba to the moden dance of Astaad Deboo, Rohinton Cama and Shiamax Davar, Parsis have pioneered reinterpretations of dance forms.

Among professional dancers the Vajifdar sisters were famous exponents of Bharat Natyam while Cama was trained by Vijayanthimala Bali.

The cross cultural influences of the west and east are apparent in dance as in puppetry where Meher Contractor was the first to revive and reinterpret this ancient performing art of India.

Sangeet Natak Akademi National Awardee Dadi Pudmjee continues her traditions and uses puppets to carry social, environmental and other messages of importance to the public across India and the world.

 

 

 

 

FILMS

INSTITUTIONS

Pioneers in Indian films include Sorab Modi winner of the Dadasaheb Phadke Award, J.B. Wadia of Wadia Movietone, Jehangir Bhownagary, Freni Variava.

The late Parvez Meherwanji’s Percy was a pioneering attempt to explain the Parsi psyche to all Indians.

In playback singing Parsi music directors have made their mark. Saraswati Devi the first Indian woman music director in films was a Parsi, Khurshid Minocher - Homji.

The pioneering role of Parsi actresses requires documentation.

While many towns have Parsi support for their theatre and music groups the first National Centre for the Performing Arts was founded by a Parsi Trust.

Jamshed Bhabha Founder of the NCPA has established through it a National Institute for the preservation and development of Indian classical music, dance, drama and the folk arts while performances often include the best of western musical and theatrical talent.

In this inter mingling of the performing arts of the east and west, Parsis continue to contribute.

The Time and Talent Club of Bombay has made a significant contribution in this field.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VII

METHODOLOGY

ACTIVITY

TECHNICAL ASPECTS

TECHNICIANS

Research, collection and collation of data.

Audio and Digital recordings, production of CD-ROM.

Recording, collection and preservation of photographs, film clips, costumes, musical instruments.

Interviews with artists.

Collection, preservation and reprinting of important scripts.

 

Translation and reprinting of seminal scripts.

 

Collection and preservation of photographs for the Parsi archives.

Collection and preservation of costumes and distinctive stage sets for the Museum.

Production of part of a book which will cover both performing and plastic arts and crafts.

This combined book will be the sixth in the Parsi series.

Research and collection of data.

Catalogue of scripts, both of Parsi Gujarati plays, and English plays.

Catalogue and collection and analysis of adaptations of Shakespeare.

Theatre historians, musicologists, experts in the field of cross cultural performing arts studies to analyse data.

Preservation on Digi-Beta if possible of some important old film clips for archival purposes and preservation.

Inclusion of some performances for the CD-ROM.

Production of one part of book, editing, publishing, marketing.

Researchers, theatre historians, film makers, audio recording, author, editor, publisher, musicologist.

Experts in field of cross cultural studies to analyse the Parsi contribution to the Indian Performing Arts and the inputs received from the great Indian traditions of the arts.

FINANCIAL ASPECTS

Costing will take into account research, documentation, microfilming, collection of material, travel cost. The film-makers costing and the re-printing programme will also be included.

The collection for publication of part of a book, sixth in the Parsi Series will also have be worked out.

Costs of preservation of theatrical and dance costumes, sets, rare musical instruments and purchase if possible for museum / archives. Donations of scores, instruments, archival photographs would be welcome.