The Bhopas are the priest singers of the folk deities in Rajasthan state of India. They perform in front of a scroll, known as phad or par in Rajasthani that depicts the episodes of the narrative of the folk deity and functions as a portable temple. The Bhopas carry this phad traditionally, and are invited by villagers to perform in their localities during times of sickness and misfortune. Traditionally, the phads are kept rolled in transit. After reaching a village or town, the Bhopas erect the phads between two poles in a suitable public place shortly after nightfall. The performance goes on throughout the night and terminates only in early morning
The epical narratives of the folk deities are told by the Bhopas during the jagarans (night-wakes). The purpose of these jagarans are to evoke the prakas (presence) of the folk deities. The sequence which a phad vacno (performance) follows can be summarized as follows:
Wer sht dann, dat ich dich noch vermess un
Ich hing nur noch vr der Kess?Nchtelang, dat ess wirklich nit wohr.
N, em hnz, ich saach et dir, hhr mir joot zo:
Aff un zo sinn andre Fraue do, aff un zo.
Jo, ich kumme schon kloor.
Joot, ich drink jetz'e paar Droppe mieh,
Doch, wat soll't et deit ech nit mieh wieh.
Hann die janze Buud renoviert, woot och Zigg un ich saach et dir:
Htt sich rentiert, he ess nix mieh, wat zo dunn htt met dir, nur om
Flur dat verstemmte Klavier.
Ahnunfrsich denk ich kaum noch ahn dich,
Jarkei Problem ich hann alles om Schirm.
Ahnunfrsich denk ich kauf noch ahn dich,
Ahnunfrsich.
Joot, ich hann lnger nit opjerhmp
Un dat Leejut knnt och weg, stemmp.
Vver nit, dat mer he nix mieh fingk,
Fing och nit, dat die Sphlmaschin
Noh Mllmmer stink
Un d Lou Reed noh Beerdijung klingk.
Wat wei ich, wovun d'm Augebleck singk!?
Nobby sht, et jv ene Typ,
Wo mer dich neuerdings off met sieht.
Denk jetz nit, dat mir dat ir'ndjet mht.
Jedenfalls, wenn d lppsch weed, roof ahn, saach
Mer Bescheid. Ich kumm jhn ens koot me'm Hammer vorbei un bring ihm