Performance for Village Elders

Bhavai actors at temple prior to performing the Mahabharata in song and improvised dialogue. Actors and audience all sit together on the temple floor. One actor (usually Chimanlal A. Nayak) is the chief storyteller. He sings and enacts parts of the epic. Usually, he sings a line or two and the other actors, who are also playing tabla, bhungal and hand cymbals as accompaniment, repeat the same stanzas. After a section is finished, the actors interject comic remarks about the storyteller, the audience, and local events. This activity usually takes place from 4-7pm and is much enjoyed by the elder men and women.