Behrupiya
Encyclopedia
A behrupiya or bahrupiya (Hindi-Urdu: बहरूपिया or بہروپیا) is an impressionist
in the traditional performing arts of India
, Pakistan
, Nepal
and Bangladesh
. Once popular and widespread, the art form is now in decline with most practitioners living in poverty. It was once common for behrupiyas to make a dramatic entrance at wedding or other festivities dressed as a policeman, priest, or other figure and create a commotion. The social norm surrounding these appearances was that the behrupiya usually collected no money if was detected as an impersonator. However, if he was able to successfully convince his audience of his fake identity, he would then reveal it and be awarded a baksheesh
for having entertained the group.
Due to their expertise with disguise and impersonation, good behrupiyas were recruited as spies
by medieval Indian kings.
words bahu (many) and roop (form or appearance). The mostly-obsolete term naqqal (नक़्क़ाल or نقّال, meaning mimic or copycat) is also infrequently used for behrupiyas. Sometimes, behrupiyas are also simply called maskharas (मसख़रा or مسخره, an Arabic
loanword in Hindi-Urdu, and a more general term for jester or buffoon) or bhand
s, who are the traditional actors, dancers, storytellers and entertainers of the Indian subcontinent
.
Impressionist (entertainment)
An impressionist or a mimic is a performer whose act consists of imitating the voice and mannerisms of others. The word usually refers to a professional comedian/entertainer who specializes in such performances and has developed a wide repertoire of impressions, including adding to them, often to...
in the traditional performing arts of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
and Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
. Once popular and widespread, the art form is now in decline with most practitioners living in poverty. It was once common for behrupiyas to make a dramatic entrance at wedding or other festivities dressed as a policeman, priest, or other figure and create a commotion. The social norm surrounding these appearances was that the behrupiya usually collected no money if was detected as an impersonator. However, if he was able to successfully convince his audience of his fake identity, he would then reveal it and be awarded a baksheesh
Baksheesh
Baksheesh is a term used to describe tipping, charitable giving, and certain forms of political corruption and bribery in the Middle East and South Asia...
for having entertained the group.
Due to their expertise with disguise and impersonation, good behrupiyas were recruited as spies
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
by medieval Indian kings.
Etymology and alternative names
The term behrupiya is derived from the SanskritSanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
words bahu (many) and roop (form or appearance). The mostly-obsolete term naqqal (नक़्क़ाल or نقّال, meaning mimic or copycat) is also infrequently used for behrupiyas. Sometimes, behrupiyas are also simply called maskharas (मसख़रा or مسخره, an Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
loanword in Hindi-Urdu, and a more general term for jester or buffoon) or bhand
Bhand
Bhānds are the traditional folk entertainers of India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh. In India and Nepal, the Bhand are now an endogamous Muslim community, which is no longer involved in their traditional occupation of folk entertainment...
s, who are the traditional actors, dancers, storytellers and entertainers of the Indian subcontinent
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent, also Indian Subcontinent, Indo-Pak Subcontinent or South Asian Subcontinent is a region of the Asian continent on the Indian tectonic plate from the Hindu Kush or Hindu Koh, Himalayas and including the Kuen Lun and Karakoram ranges, forming a land mass which extends...
.