Page:History of Bengali Language and Literature.djvu/772

 Yatras ex- celled the theatres. The Vidya Sundara yatras. 730 BENGALI LANGUAGE & LITERATURE, [ Chap. you on our shoulders, and rode on yours. Often we ate first, and gave you the remnants, calling you by all familiar names. Have you, for all these, forsaken us, Oh beloved Krishna?” So the shepherd boys sang; and as they sang they wept, and the audience was moved. All thought themselves in those Vrinda groves, where Kadamva trees rose upon the sight fringing the lovely horizon on the banks of the dark-watered Jumna,—those groves that the tears of the milk-maids and the shepherds have hallowed for ever. The vatras without any regular stage, without scenery, without the artistic display of costumes, could rouse emotions which now-a-days we scarcely experience, while witnessing semi-European performances given on the stages of the Calcutta theatres. The subjects of the vatras were mainly epi- sodes in the life of Krishna. There were, however, other subjects also taken up by different parties. The story of Vidyasundara on the lines of Bharata Chandra’s poem, was adopted by a class of yatra- walas, of whom Gopala Uriya heads the list. The Vidvasundara yafras had no serious element in them. They were in high favour with the light-brained aristocracy who enjoyed the humour, dances and খেলা বেলাম করি দ্ন্দ্, কত যে বলেছি মন্দ, সে মন্দ কি ভেবে মন্দ, তাক্েছে বজের সম্বন্ধ ॥ কত মেরেছি, ধরেছি, কাধে করেছি, চড়েছি আপনি খেয়ে, খ!ওয়ায়েছি, তোতকার করেছি সবাই॥" Rai Unmadini by Krisha Kamala.