Bhari Gan of Assam: A Visual Guide

in Image Gallery
Published on: 25 July 2018

Arup Bordoloi

Arup Bordoloi is pursuing his PhD at the Department of Folklore Research, Gauhati University. He is working in the Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra of Panjabari, Guwahati. He received a gold medal from Tezpur Central University after completing his Masters in Cultural Studies. He also did a Masters in Communication and Journalism from Gauhati University. He had received the All India Tata Fellowships in Folklore from the National Folklore Support Centre, Chennai. He has contributed a number of research-based articles on different aspects of culture in local dailies, and a few articles in research journals.

This image gallery contains photographs of the Bhari Gan dramatic art, highlighting its salient features like the wooden masks used in plays, style of performance, role of the Mul (leading performer) and the ritual worship of masks. The masks are the striking feature of this folk genre and the gallery represents masks of different characters. Photographs of two different Bhari Gan troupes are included. Bhari Gan is practised by the Rabha tribes of Assam, and the images also give a glimpse of the socio-religious life of the tribe.