Dashavatari Khel.

A type of rural entertainment perhaps peculiar to this district is the kala or jatra performances, a form of Dashavataras—the folk-ballet of Konkan. They are usually staged on festive and jatra days, the season starting from Tripuri Paurnima, the full-moon day of Kartik. and continuing till the advent of rainy season. On Malvan side the members of dahikala or jatra parties locally known as Dashantris generally belong to the Devali caste. They associate into a dramatic club and give performances on invitation at fixed places on fixed days. On Sangameshwar side such actors are known as khele. The performance starts at about 10 p.m. and it is conventional that it must terminate at day-break with the breaking of handi — a pot full of curds, milk, etc.

The stage is an improvised one —a simple mandav (booth) about 12' X 16 and 10' high enclosed on three sides by jhamps (plaited cocoanut-leaves) often serves the purpose, A bench or two at the back accommodates the mrdang and harmonium players, and when required serves the purpose of ' throne', ' bed-stead', etc. A curtain is often held by two persons and is removed as the actors enter. The sutradhar who conducts the play takes his stand at one corner of the stage leaving the major portion of the stage at the disposal of the actors.

The programme begins with the invocation of Ganapati, the vighnaharta (remover of obstacles) and Saraswati, the goddess of learning. In this conventional first entry Ganapati is accompanied by Rddhi-Siddhis, his two consorts, who help him manage his big trunk and the two extra hands. He dances for a while in a zigzag way with shuffling steps, is offered worship and in return gives his blessings and retires. Then enters Saraswati with the peacock as her carrier. She gives a ' peacock dance' and retires. And now follows the demon Sankasura grotesquely dressed in a black cone-shaped mask, his eyebrows, nose and lips painted white. He is supposed to be a Brahman by caste, and while enacting a Brahmanic religious routine creates much fun by his mimicries and mockeries. Then enters god Krsna with whom Sankasura enters into a wordy tussle about ' caste hierarchy' which develops into a fight. Sankasura meets his ' death' at the hands of Krsna. The curtain is held and Sankasura disappears; Krsna gives a dance and retires.
Now starts the main item of the show, the enacting of a folk-opera. The theme is a puranic subject such as Usha-swapna, Draupadi-Vastraharana, Kicakavadha, Kaurav-Pandav Yuddha, etc. There is neither a script nor much of a 'plot'. Everyone is acquainted with the ' story' and the plot unfolds through extempore ' dialogues' and ' speeches", the individual actor using his freedom with skill and resourcefulness. What cannot be enacted is described in versified narrations by the sutradhara. The play has to last till daybreak and the time gaps are bridged over by interludes of songs and fights. The fights have to be danced over the stage and when there is a' kill' the curtain is held for the ' dead' to walk away from the stage. During the play one of the Rddhi-Siddhis moves in the audience with the devaci-trali or arati, Individuals put their contribution in the dish and bow. The play concludes with the ceremony of 'breaking the handi at the hands of the village ' honourables' (ganvkaris).