BURRA KATHA  Burra
Katha is a popular and most extensively used ballad form in Andhra Pradesh. If fuses in
itself the dramatic and narrative, the musical and recitative and the serious and humorous
ways. In fact, Burra Katha is known to be the only perfection of the narrative form in
both content and presentation. A chief narrator assisted by two others presents the story.
Burra Katha gets its name from "Burra", the percussion instrument used in
the narrative.
The chief narrator coordinates the
narration, description, explanation, humorous comments and anecdotes. He leads the story
by combining the forms of dance, action, narration and music. His costume comprises of a
long angarkha, a turban and a waistcloth alternating in colors of red, green and
yellow. He also wears a garland of pearls around his neck, bells as anklets and a feather
on his turban.
The two assistants called "vanthas"
give their chorus and also provide the rhythm, with a small drum, to the narration. Of
these one acts as the ‘hasyagadu’ (humour man) clad in a
multicolored attire with ash spread on his forehead. He poses criticism to the actual
story by connecting it with the past of the story in a humorous way. The main narrator in
response proves and emphasises the validity of the story and the importance of the
message. The other vantha dressed in a simple angarkha and kurta
provides a political thrust to the story by explaining and emphasising the message
stressed by the chief narrator.
Burra Katha was actually developed to
create social awareness by conveying contemporary messages. However, traditional stories
like "Bobbili Katha" and "Palnati Yudham" are also recited. Government
has used it as a medium for carrying out the message of family planning to the rural
masses. Burra Katha with its intrinsic freshness and rich presentation has been an
effective medium to communicate for various developmental, political and other purposes.
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