Jamoora

A jamoora or jamura (Hindustani: जमूरा or جمورا) is a performer who plays a specific type of sidekick role in the traditional folk theatre (such as bhand and tamasha) of India and Pakistan.^[1] In the course of the performance, the jamoora is supposed to comply with every command given by his master (usually called the ustad, but sometimes called the madari or jadoogar for magic shows), but often demonstrates subtle deviations from them to make satirical points or create a humorous effect.^[2]

Shows involving jamooras are often two-person performances and are usually called ustad-jamoora, madari-jamoora, ustad-bachha (bachha means child) or madari-chela (chela means follower/student) shows.^[2]

Connotations

Because the jamoora is expected to demonstrate unquestioning obedience to the master's directives, sometimes people or organizations who are believed to be acting as puppets for others are pejoratively called jamooras in Indian and Pakistani society.^[3]

References

1. Ramsingh Jakhar, Svatantrata sangram mein Haryana ka yogadan, Haryana Sahitya Mandal, 1991, ... एक आदमी जो ढोल बजाता और दूसरा आदमी जिसे जमूरा कहते थे लोगों पर नक़ल मार कर या नाच कर कोई हँसी की बात (one performer would play the drum while the other, called the jamoora, would mimic or dance funnily to elicit laughter ...
2. Yusuf Mirza (November 23, 2008), "بچہ جمورا یا بچہ جمہورا (Childish jamoora or childish jamhoora/democracy )", Jasarat (Urdu), ... اب تو وہ کلچر ہی دم توڑ رہا ہے جس میں مداری تماشا دکھایا کرتے ... اپنی جیب کی ریزگاری ان کی نذر کرکے ... تماشاگر کے چیلے کو بچہ جمورا یا بچہ جمہورا کہتے تھے۔ اس کا کام تماشا گر کی ہر صحیح یا غلط بات (the culture of madaris conducting tamashas is dying ... the audience would toss over their pocket change ... the madari's chela was also called the bachha jamoora or bachha jamhoora. His job was to take every statement of the madari, whether right or wrong, and ...
3. Lt. Gen. Abdul Karim (April 30, 2010), "بینظیر بھٹو کا قتل اور اقوام متحدہ سے توقعات (The killers of Benazir Bhutto and expectations from the United Nations)", Nawaiwaqt (Urdu), ... کہ یواین او کا ادارہ جو ان بڑی طاقتوں کا بچہ جمورا ہے (the United Nations Organization, which is actually the jamoora bachha of these big powers) ...