History: Dastangoi came from Persia to India in 16th Century before Akbar Era, where there is another view that this form developed along with the language Rekhta, which is developed by Amir Khusrow' 13th century, india (follower of Sufi Saint Nizamuddin Auliya) who is also the inventor of Qawwali, Ghazal.
The brilliant poet invented Rekhta, the early form of Urdu to make communication easier which is leads him to write several poems and stories masnavi, qissa, dastaan, afsana. The alternative history
says Dastangoi developed in parallel with Rekhta in 13th Century. Generally, in previous days, stories of 8th century Arab Hero Amir Hamza "Hamzanama" (Uncle of Prophet Mohammed) were popular in Dastan. As well as any type of stories can be tell in this form. Therefore, some think that this form is completely Indian with some Persian influence.
In conversation with Syed Sahil Agha
It was practised till 1923 and comes to an end for a while with the death of Mir Baker Ali and due to political turmoil of India too. Then it is rediscovered by Mahmood Farooqui, NasirUddin-Shah, and Danish Hussain under the influence of work done by Shamsur Rahman Farooqui.
Dastangoi was mainly performed in Urdu. They mainly developed to be understood by laymen.
It is true that Amir Khasru invented Rekhta in 13th Century by incorporating different words from different languages spoken by people in India. Then in 16th Century Urdu was developed gradually. But now it is also performed in Hindustani, or even during the performance in Urdu, performers are using colloquial words for better understanding as per the initial philosophy.
Attitude : This is a Darbari form and it can be assumed the Mughal Darbar was the main performance place for Dastangoi in earlier days. As well as, it was also performed at Maikhana or Bar. So the attitude of the performer is royal and he or she is ready to give entertainment to its audience along with the poetry of the text. Farooqui states this form is based on the recitation and narration. Performer has to focus on Hasta Avinaya, Mukhavinaya and Nayanavinaya to perform. It is a new narrative style combination of drama, fiction, entertainment, and the aspects
of public lecture. The main elements of Dastangoi are Language, literature, performance, spontaneity. The dastango has the power of create the magic of writing through the spoken words that heard like a literature not just a mere story.
Structure: Like Gurubandana in Bengal forms or Invocation in Western Form, Dastangoi starts with Sakinama’. They mainly are some celebrated sher of Urdu where Saki (bartender) is worshiped in
a Maikhana (Bar). They are all symbolic where Saki symbolises God and Maikhana symbolises the world.
Aur kuch din ye dastur-e-mai-Khana hai,
Tishna-kaami ke ye din guzar jaenge
Mere saqi ko nazren uthane to do,
Jitne Khali hain sab jam bhar jaenge.
Text: Dastangoi, the traditional art of storytelling, draws its narratives from a variety of sources, including classic Persian and Indian literature. Some of the prominent literary works that serve as
sources for Dastangoi are:
Arabian Nights (One Thousand and One Nights): A collection of Middle Eastern folk tales compiled in Arabic during the Islamic Golden Age. Stories like Aladdin's Wonderful Lamp, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, and Sinbad the Sailor are commonly adapted in Dastangoi
performances.
Shahnameh: An epic poem written by the Persian poet Ferdowsi, Shahnameh (The Book of Kings) narrates the mythical and historical past of Iran. Tales from Shahnameh, including the stories of Rustam and Sohrab, are often incorporated into Dastangoi performances.
Persian Epics and Romances: Dastangoi draws inspiration from various Persian epics and romances, such as the stories of Amir Hamza and other heroic tales from Persian literature.
Urdu Literature: Dastangoi also finds its roots in Urdu literature. Works by Urdu poets and writers, including Mir Amman's "Bagh-o-Bahar" and Siraj-ud-Din Ali Khan Arzu's "Afra Tafreeh," provide source material for storytelling.
Mahabharata and Ramayana: Dastangoi incorporates stories from Indian epics like the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, adapting them into the narrative tradition. The tales of heroic figures, complex characters, and moral dilemmas provide rich content for Dastangoi.
Classical Persian Literature: Classical
Persian literature, including works by poets like Attar, Rumi, and Saadi, contributes to the diverse array of stories available for Dastangoi performances.
Folk Tales & Local Legends: Dastangoi often incorporates folk tales and local legends, adapting them to the oral
storytelling tradition. These stories may vary across regions and communities.
It is important to note that Dastangoi is not limited to a specific set of scriptures or texts. The storytellers, known as Dastango, have the flexibility to choose and adapt stories from a wide range of literary and cultural sources, enriching the tradition with a dynamic and diverse repertoire.
Space: Generally the performance space is Darbar, and it has the essence of formal attire, as well as it was also performed in Maikhana for locals. Nowadays, it can be private show of elite, or some special dastangoi show in any auditorium or space.
Interlinks between Dastangoi and other storytelling forms in India,
In this journey, searched and acquired knowledge about different storytelling forms. Regarding dastangoi, as per Farooqui, there is no place of music and yet this is like a verbal literature towards audience. In case of many regional storytelling forms, such as Thakumar Jhuli from Bengal, Gayan Khata Wachan from north india, Pandavani from Chhattisgarh, Kathakalakshepa from Tamil Nadu, Manbhatt from south Gujarat, they are very much music dominant. However, I feel there are some similarities between them & dastangoi, not to get....
Journey of Storytelling still continues...
Young Dastango are Performing and Rehearsing Their own Dastan's at Once Upon a Time-Storytelling School in Ludhiana Punjab.
(Storytelling Research article: Saheli Saha, Kolkata)
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