Song of a Bhopa

On a recent trip to a small town in Himachal Pradesh I came across this little family far way from their home.

The Ravanhatta musical instrument is a signature of their musical performances and so I recognised them as Bhopas.

Bhopas were the people who sang out or narrated the legend of Pabuji using the Phad artwork as a visual aid. With this traditional almost extinct, young Bhopas have had to give up their ancestral vocation and turn to other means.

In a land where songs are very important to Bollywood which is important to living, the Bhopa has found opportunities in other song genres.

How will this work out? No answers…

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jm / wovensouls.com

June 2023