Gopichand or Radhika-Karn Episode
The longest performance of the festival started after 12:00 am. The 17-artist
troupe comprised of King Gopichand (Krishan), his friend Karan, and gopis
(herdswomen). The story revolved around Krishan’s incarnation as a king.
Gopichand spent days and nights dancing. Everyone, including gods, joined him.
He had thousands of queens. However, the unhappy king deserted his friends
and queens and forsook every mundane habit to become an ascetic and then an
immortal.
The symbolic costumes included royal crowns and coats and elaborate jewelry for
the herdswomen. The artists portrayed animals, equipment, and natural objects
through various gestures. They raised their hands, for example, to imitate the
trees. They held hands high above their heads to represent 7-gates of the palace
from which the king flew away to become an ascetic.
This performance had some fast beats and movements unlike others. The artists
took brief breaks during almost 4-5 hour long performance. Khankar Buddya
played the same tricks on the audience to keep them awake during the breaks.
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Volume 4, Issue 1 | June 2019