Bahurupi Artist

Bahurupi artists are a unique group of traditional folk artists from Southern India who travel across India and earn their livelihood by performing song and dance acts in their characteristic style. They hail from the South Indian State of Karnataka. In historical records, the first references to Bahurupi artists are found in the 12^th Century writings of Rachaiyya and Channa Basavaiyya. Bahurupi artists travel in small groups and earn their living by singing devotional songs and recreating mythological stories from Indian epics and tradition. They survive on the food, clothes and other help provided by villagers for their services, the pre-television and cinema era, these artists were the chief form of entertainment for teeming millions in rural India. However, in an increasingly globalised India where satellite TV brought in home entertainment, these artists struggle for their survival, but doggedly continue to perform.'