Introduction
Balan is a popular dramatic theory prevalent in Nepalese life. Firstly, we should know the deep meaning before we seek its origin. The tradition of Balan is as broad as dramatic theory in folk life. Balan has its relationship with devotion. In Hindi, Balan means lover or husband. Though the term Balan is related to attachment, it can not be said that Balan is derived from the Hindi language. In Balan, the quality of mythological character is described and entertained. Artless satisfaction, like children, can be acquired from this play. It is also clear that it originates in relation to the events of childhood. It includes Pruan and stories of Ram and Krishna.
In Sanskrit, the term Balan is used to denote ‘Balak’ (child). Balan is also used in Devanagari script, i.e.. Nepali. It is not difficult to find out its origin. The term childhood has come from ‘Bala’. In this context, the derivation of Balan can be distinguished. As the story of Ram is Ramayan, it is also reasonable that the story of Balan is Balayan. In this way, we can say that the term ‘Balan’ comes from ‘Bala’ and ‘Aayan’. In reality, Balan is a pleasure that is taken or received in old age.
The practice of Balan has been extended from east to west in Nepali folk song. (Pipalyani dubar Malika dhurukkai ni uthar). It has been identified as popular in the foothills of Kanchenjunga and Mt. Everest, offering prayers to different gods and goddesses. Nepalese folk literature has been playing an important role in Nepali literature for thousands of years before and it has also influenced the created literature.
In this context, there was a need for a common platform to experience the epic tale for mental satisfaction. They have continued to narrate the stories in the dramatic songs. We can find enough originality of Nepali real life in Balan.
How Balan is played
Though Balan can be sung and danced by the people as soon as they are free from their work in the field in the countryside side according to their will at any time. It is especially sung and danced in Yakadashi, Chandi Purnima, Balachaturdashiand so no. It is also performed during Satya Narayan Pooja and Saptaha puran, and on other occasions of other religious festivals.
It includes the stories and narratives of Ramayan, Mahabharat, Krishna Charitra, Bhagawat Geeta, and Dasabatar, along with the implements and role of their character are mainly practiced in the Brahmin and Kshatriya. It is sung in a group of people in rhythmic order and danced with great fun and pleasure.
Generally, there are five comedians, and it is played according to the rule (nartak) male and (nartaki) female dancers, generally four stand in two rows. When Jase, Pate, Hanse, Runche, and Lose start playing Balan. Male dancers of both rows seem to be wearing white Daura-Suruwal and Patuka. They also cover their head with a turban.
At the beginning of the Balan dance, when male and female dancers are seen with a handful of flowers, Raura (main person) starts singing the songs with auspicious hymens.
Ho Ho, Timrai saranama khelna aayaun
Aagya deu dharti mata!
Ho, Ho, satyako kirti ganapati
Lambodhar bidhata!
Khaijadi, a traditional instrument, is played and danced, moving around the altar while singing Balan. When the male dancer approaches one step forward, the female dancer goes one step back and a female dancer approaches one step forward, the male dancer goes one step back and vice versa. Balan is danced and sung, greeting the earth, moving each step. The person singing Balan places his left hand on his waist and shakes his right hand until he reaches his destination. The audiences feel very happy and overjoyed to see the male and female dancers dancing in the rows.
In Balan, the story of the biography of Ram, Krishna, and Dasabatar is sung. Based on these stories, the acting of Ram, Bharat, Laxman, Shatrudhan, Lava, Kusha, Krishna, Basudev, and Kangsa is performed. The three verses connected to the stories of Ram’s banishment to the forest for 14 years, the Biography of Krishna, Marriage of Bashudev have been given below.
He Dsarath pita,
Chora Ram- Laxman,
Bharat, Shatrudhan,
Char bhai putra ho ho……
Yi char bhai Madhya,
Bharat, Shatrudhan,
Rajyama base ho …….
Ram ra Laxman,
Pita ra matalai
Bida magikana
Banabas Chale ho….
Aagi aagi hashule
Pachi pachi padule
Majhama Sita mai
San sangai hide ho….
Jangal ma Dhari
Amrit ras khai
Brinda ra banma
Chaudhai ra barsa
Bitauna bhani
Bidawari bhai
Banabas chale ho
Banabas chale ho…..
Ho ho, aadidev ganapati, tamu rachchhe gara.
Hami khalchham Krishna ka lila
Karishna ka lila jani sakidaina
Jathasakya khelchham hami
Grihalaxmi kula deuta simi bhumi samjhi
Hami khelchham Krishnaka lila…..
Laxmi, Parbati, Saraswati Devi!
Namaskara garchhu hai maile
Bharma, Bishnu, Shivalai namaskar hari
Balan bhanchhu hai maile….
Ho ho amrit rupi Krishna lila kahamchhu-
Sunilyau Parikshit raja!
Ho ho Devakiko sataun garva Rohiniko garva
Kasari bhayo hai taha ho….
Ho ho, mama Kansasurlai kasari mare hai taha ho?
Ho ho, aathaun garva bhaai bhaai Narayan gara.
Bhudharbar RohainimaHo ho,
chaukai pahara sabai murchhaya,
Charai dhoka khule hai taha!…
Ho ho ghodachadi Kshetrapal aaya
Basudev dulaha bhaya.
Hoho sunakalse jhari charigado pari
Basudevlai pradakshna gare
Hoho sili dhanko achheti ta mali gaiko dahi
Basudevlai chharlna lage
Ho ho, dahine kandha boke ali pundo sare
Basudevalai galainchama rakhe
Bhuin champa, Chandra jyoti Kshetrapalle chhode
Ramailo bhayo hai tahan… .
Ho ho Radha ra Rukamini manchhe kataya
Chaurasi bhojan diya
Ho ho bajako rankoDevakile sunin
Nuhain kapal kasha
Ho ho Pancha pokharaima Devakile nwain
Kanchan bhaigayo deha
Ho ho, naumuni chamalko khaja banaya
Baunna achar thiyo
Ho ho, chandika thala, sunaka kachaura
Sunako amkhora thiyo
Ho ho laganko bela thikai bhayo
Ugrasenle pau dhuna lage
Ho ho,churi ra bahinka gahana lyaya
Layaya hai sunaka hara
Ho ho, Devakika pshakale surya jyoti
Malin bhaigayo tahan
Ho ho, Devaki ra Basudevko bibaha herna
Saba aaya swargaka devata
Ho ho, Ugrasena ra Kshetrapalko samdharo lagda
Thulo bhayo mana tahan…
Balan became so popular in Nepalese life during Satyanarayan pooja, feasts, and jatras. Songs were sung and dances were performed. The main objective of Balan was to focus on morality and good character. To reflect the victory of good will over evil will was another aspect of it. Because of its sweet subject and typical singing, its impact is not limited to the life of Nepalese but is also associated with the written form.
Though Balan has not been extended far and wide as it was earlier, it has still survived in the hills of Nepal. The stories of the Puran are made sweet and interesting. We can find effective acting and performance of the related characters. Hence, the height of Balan has been increasing, and it has been affecting Nepalese life.
Main Assumptions:
Balan is sung during the religious performances to spend the whole night. While singing Balan, the biography of different religious characters is depicted. It is also sung to remove the slumber (deep sleep) of the religious performer (karta in Nepali). The incarnation of different Hindu gods and goddesses, their activities in life, Ram charitra, Krishna charitra, etc., are performed in the form of dialogue. Various human characters perform the role play of those godly characters. One of the stories hidden behind Balan, according to Ramayan, reads like this:
Aayodhyaka raja Dsaratha thiya,
Tanaka putra bhayanana.
Raja Dasaratha rani Kaushila;
Aputra aputri bhaya..
According to the story, Dasaratha, the king of Ayodhya, was childless. It means they didn’t have any children to give continuity to their heredity. There arose a great controversy over who would be the king of Ayodhya after the death of King Dasaratha. Hence, the king and all three wives were sad. They wanted to have at least a child at any cost. But they had not found any way to have it. They believe that in Hinduism, to have a male child is compulsory; otherwise, the person would not go to heaven, and all his religious rites and rituals would be meaningless. He would not attain salvation after his death (But now this concept has been changed).
In this context, the people performing the role-play of the well-wishers of King Dasaratha request the great sage Bashishtha to grant an appropriate way to have a child. Their request to the sage can be given as follows:
Suna ra suna Basistha rishi yakahai binati leuna,
Raja Dasharatha ka putra bhayananan,
Putra ko upaya deuna;
They also narrate the story like this:
Barhai ra barshako sombare aunsi Chhir Samudra ko mela,
Chhirai rai ra samundra nuhauna janda batama rishijyu bhetya;
Rishile yeuta dabba diya ra khir khanu bhanidiya,
Rishile diyako dabbama khira pakaya;
Tayari khira jhikera tyaha doi bhag jo laya,
Aadha ra khalin kaikayi rani, aadha Sumitra Kaushila;
The story goes that the king, along with his queens, had been to the sea, Chhira, to have a holy bath on the occasion of the fair of Chhira Sea, which would fall on Monday (popularly known as Sombare Aunsi). In Hindu mythology, having a holy bath and going on pilgrimage on the very day is supposed to be very pious, and people’s wishes would be fulfilled while doing so. There, they met the sage, Basistha. He gave a pot and told them to cook rice pudding in it. As said by the sage, they (Kaushila and Sumitra) prepared special pudding and divided the same into equal halves in the absence of Kaikei. As soon as the pudding was divided and they were ready to have it, Kaikei appeared.
So, they gave half and half to Kaikai. Later on, due to the effect of pudding, Kaikai gave birth to twin brothers Bharat and Shatudhna. Likewise, Kaushila gave birth to Ram, and Sumitra was blessed with Laxman. In this way, the tag hung on the head of the Ayodha Royal family was removed. The great controversy in Ayodhya was solved. Ram was born as the eldest son of Dasarath.
They also narrate the conversation between Sita (Janaki) and her sister- in-law (Nanda). In the conversation, Sita’s sister-in-law asks about Ravan, who had kidnapped Sita in the forest.
The story reads:
Nanduka Manama krodha ubjiyo Rabanya lekhina lain,
Duna paun bias bahu sabaira lekhin, lakhin hai dashi shira.
As Sita described Ravan in the form of a carving on a cot (pirka), her sister-in-law could not tolerate it. All the physical structure of Ravan was depicted in her art.
In the meantime, Ram appears before them. Sita gave the cot to Ram to sit on. The cot on which Ram sat trembled. Due to its trembling character, Ram picked it up and noticed minutely. He saw the figure of Ravan on it. He suspected Sita, scolded with rude words, and she was banished to the forest. He also suspected the chastity of Sita. Sita went to the forest. In the forest, she met Balmiki, the sage. She also stayed with him under his protection.
Ram scolds Sita, suspecting her of this:
Alachhini Sitako byabastha kasto shirama bajraparnu jasto,
Alachhini Sitako Ravanmathi rahechha maya.
Having heard all this, Sita appeals a lot that she was ignorant about it. She also requested him not to send her to the forest. Laxman watches all this being made a spectator, thinking that it was his prime duty to obey his brother.
Sita gave birth to Lava in the forest after her second banishment while staying with Balmiki. One day, Sita had to go for a wash. Lava was still a child. Balmiki was busy in his meditation. Sita had told Balmiki to look after the child. After a while, Sita came back from the midway, and Balmiki would not be free from his meditation. So, she took Lava with her.
After having finished his mediation, he noticed the cradle of Lava. Lava was not there; Balmiki searched for Lava but could not find him. Then he immediately produced a beautiful child like Lava with the help of Kush ( a holy grass). After a while, Sita arrived at the hut along with Lava. The child that was produced from holy grass was named Kusha. In this way, Sita became the mother of Kusha.
Once, Ram wished to perform Ashwomegha Mahayagya. To perform it, a horse named Shyamkarni was left to the world; it had to conquer all the kings and the kingdom of the world. The horse approached before the hut of Lava and Kusah, and as soon as they saw it, they caught it under their control. The horse did not return to the palace. So, Ram sent Laxman, Bharat, Shatrudhan, and other armies to bring it, but two brothers, Lava and Kusha, refused to return it. Rather, they said that whoever overpowers them would be given the horse. They were all overpowered by Lava and Kusha. When Laxman requested to release the horse, their conversation went like this:
Laxman: Ye keta ghoda phukaide.
Lava Kusha: Keto keto nabhana tero keto hoina bargat bhaya, phukai laija tera bauko sadhe.
When Ram came to know it, he proceeded to the forest with his strong army. As soon as he reached the forest, he asked who they were. Then, after they started quarreling with each other. The force battle was likely to hold. The events of the battle are mentioned like this:
Yekura bana Kusha harile chhode, Ramaka pauma paryo;
Dosoro bana Lavale chhode, banale dandabat garyo.
Tyasapachhi bana Ramale chhode, Lava Kushalai chhumban garyo;
Doshro hai bana Ramale chhode chumgangari bhaima khasyo.
Having noticed all this, Ram suspected the event and the conversation between the three, Ram, Lava, and Kusha, began like this:
Ram: Kaska hau timi nati panati kaska hau timi chela?
Lava, Kusha: Laxman hun hamra kanchhara baba, adharmi hun hamra pita.
Then lord Ram recognized Lava and Kusha that they were his sons and took them to his palace with great rejoice.
Reviving Balan: Preserving Nepal’s Sacred Oral and Performing Tradition
Balan is a deeply rooted form of devotional folk drama in Nepal that intertwines mythology, music, dance, and storytelling into a powerful communal expression of faith and cultural identity. Rich with themes of innocence, spiritual fulfillment, and moral reflection, Balan brings to life the epic stories of the Ramayan, Mahabharat, and Puranas through heartfelt performances that engage both artists and audiences. Traditionally performed in the hilly regions during religious rituals and festivals, it has long served as a bridge between generations, connecting people to their ancestral wisdom and collective heritage.
However, despite its profound cultural and spiritual importance, Balan faces the threat of fading away, as younger generations drift from tradition and modernization encroaches on folk practices. To ensure this sacred art form survives, urgent action is needed.
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Documentation and Archiving:
Record and archive Balan performances—both in written and audiovisual forms—to safeguard its stories, songs, dialogues, dance forms, and musical compositions for future generations.
Inclusion in School Curriculum:
Integrate Balan dance and its cultural significance into the local school curriculum to educate children about their heritage and inspire them to participate in preserving it.
Community-Based Training Programs:
Organize regular programs in rural communities to train youth under the guidance of experienced Balan performers and gurus.
Promotion Through Cultural Festivals:
Encourage local and national cultural organizations to showcase Balan performances in festivals, competitions, and tourism events to increase its visibility and appeal.
Support from Government and NGOs:
Seek active involvement and funding from local governments, cultural ministries, and heritage-focused NGOs to protect, promote, and sustain the tradition of Balan dance as an intangible cultural heritage.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is Balan Dance, and what makes it unique in Nepali culture?
Balan Dance is a traditional folk performance combining devotional singing, storytelling, and symbolic dance. It uniquely blends mythological narratives from Hindu epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata with rhythmic group movements, reflecting both religious devotion and cultural heritage in Nepal.
When and where is Balan typically performed?
Balan is commonly performed during religious events such as Ekadashi, Bala Chaturdashi, Chandi Purnima, and Satya Narayan Puja, especially in the hilly regions of Nepal. It is most prevalent in Brahmin and Kshatriya communities and is often held overnight as part of worship rituals.
Who participates in Balan performances, and what roles do they play?
Balan is typically performed by groups of 16 or more individuals, including singers, dancers, and comedic characters. Performers enact divine figures like Ram, Krishna, Sita, and others. Both male and female dancers take part, often dressed in traditional attire such as daura-suruwal and patuka.
What stories are portrayed in Balan’s performances?
Balan enacts mythological stories mainly from the Ramayana and the life of Krishna. These include episodes such as Ram’s exile, Sita’s banishment, Lava-Kusha’s confrontation with Ram, and Krishna’s childhood adventures. The narratives are expressed through song, dance, and dialogue.
Why is Balan important, and how is it preserved today?
Balan plays a vital role in preserving Nepal’s oral traditions, religious values, and communal spirit. Though less common in urban areas today, it is still practiced in rural regions. Cultural activists and local communities should work to document and promote Balan to ensure its survival for future generations.
Conclusion:
In essence, Balan stands as a profound expression of Nepali devotional folk drama, blending mythology, rhythm, and performance into a powerful communal tradition. Rooted in the term Bala, meaning child, Balan reflects themes of innocence, spiritual joy, and moral reflection, while dramatizing epic tales from the Ramayan, Mahabharat, and Puranas. Its origin, though linguistically debated, is more meaningfully understood through its purpose—providing artless satisfaction and emotional catharsis through oral storytelling and ritualistic performance.
As both discourse and drama, Balan engages performers and audiences alike in a shared religious and cultural experience, preserving age-old narratives through music, movement, and dialogue. Despite the passage of time, its presence in the hilly regions of Nepal, during religious festivals and night-long gatherings, keeps alive a rich tradition that not only entertains but also educates and connects generations with their spiritual heritage and cultural identity.
This beautiful cultural tradition is on the verge of extinction, declining silently from the rural stages of Nepal. Urgent steps must be taken to preserve and revitalize it before it disappears completely from our collective memory.
Written based on the conversation with an aged Balan performer.
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