When I started to type the term makeup,💄this symbol of a lipstick popped up on the keyboard. So, someone would tend to think that the subject concerns the fairer sex only. But it is not so. All others also do makeup.Yes, every one is interested in makeups to look attractive. And in this regard, one would do well to remember that people associated with fine arts, like, dance and drama, etc. can't do without makeup. It is inescapable for them. That's why we hear of 'the makeup room' or the fancier use 'the green room'.
Friends, my intention to say all this is due to the reason that I know of an interesting anecdote relating the green room. Here, goes the story.
Those of you who have little knowledge about Odisha's culture, I would like to inform them that the state is rich in various types of folk arts. One of these is called 'the pala'. It's an open air show like 'the yatra' but unlike the yatra it is performed with a limited number of artists, say, only five or six who sit on the dias throughout.
One of them is the lead artist who is known as 'the gayak'. He is the mainstay of the show and the performance of the group hinges on him alone. He is supposed to be an erudite person versed with all sorts of ancient classical literature. And the group narrates stories from the epics in lyrical form interspersed with narrations as well.
The other members of the group includes one who plays 'mridangam' and the rest three/four members known as "palias" assist in the lyrical presentation including providing rest to the lead player intermittently by engaging in various types of humors.
The show lasts for about four hours or so and mostly these are nocturnal affairs. At times more than one group is invited at one place by way of a competition. It is mainly intended to test the skill and knowledge of the 'gayak'. The show starts with the rest of the artists coming to stage first to start the warm up process and the 'gayak' appears one the scene after about half an hour or so.
In a competition, the groups try to know the strength and weaknesses of their rivals so that they can make use of that to beat them. It is surely done cleverly without resorting to any physical or violent means.
In one such competitive show, one party was found to have a definite edge in that it's lead player 'the gayak' was a indeed a very learned person highly skilled in his job. But he was a very simple and thorough gentleman devoid of devious thinking whatsoever.
One night, as usual his group had gone to the stage to warm yp the audience and he was waiting all alone in the green room for his time to enter the stage. Then an unusual thing happened. One unkown mysterious person suddenly entered his room and taking him aside said something very silently into his ears for about five minutes or so and went away into the crowd.
Poor fellow. He was red faced after that but went to the perform when the time came. But there was a big change in him and his performance lacked the typical skill and lustre he was capable of. He somehow winded up the show and came back to the green room earlier. After him the rest of the group entered the green room. They were all at a loss as to waht happened to the gayak. Predictably, the group lost the competition.
Afterwards, his co-artists asked him about the reasons for his poor performance that night. Then he disclosed what had happened to him.
Friends, you all are aware of the dubious technique called 'sledging' adopted by some cricketers to defeat their rivals in the field. Perhaps we think it is an ingenoius smart method used by smart people only. But sorry, such technique was widely used in our society to hoodwink the opponents at times of need. And that is what was applied on that gentlemen 'gayak' that night with full success.
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Viswamitra (07.01.2023)
