Gondhal, literal meaning of which is `commotion`, is the dramatic narration of mythical stories, praise of heroes or narration of folk legends. All these forms part of a ritual dedicated to different divinities. This Marathi folk theatre in the form of worship is performed exclusively by a group of men as part of rituals after ceremonies like marriage. Its origins are said to reach back into the Bhutamata Mahotsavas i.e. festivals for departed souls that performed before the thirteenth century to obtain progeny or protection from celestial wrath. This is referred to as Skanda Purana In Sanskrit. Musical treatises such as Sangit ratnakar, Sangit samay sar, and Nritya ratnavali mention Gondhal as a dance performed by the Gondhali community. There are two types of Gondhalis, the Kadamrai and Renurai, who worship the goddesses Bhavani of Tuljapur in Osmanabad district and Renuka of Mahur in Nanded district, respectively. The right to perform Gondhal is obtained through an initiation in which the aspiring Gondhali wears a string of cowrie shells called genmal given by five married males of the same caste.

Gondhal varies between devotional singing and dramatic presentation of any Purana part. The singers are considered the counterparts of the Caranas, the Bhatas and the Pauranikas, who were also narrators and singers of epics and myths. Gondhal is performed on special days like when there is a newborn in a family. Gondhal takes place in front of the Yajamana`s i.e. host`s house. A wooden board on the ground is covered with a new cloth, on which rice or jowar grains are arranged in a square, in each corner a coconut half, betel nuts, dry dates, turmeric roots, a banana, and betel leaves are placed. A pitcher filled with water, betel or mango leaves, and whole coconuts are placed at the centre, near the idol of the goddess, worshipped with flowers. Five stalks of jowar plants or sugar-cane sticks at each corner of the board have their heads tied together in a bunch above the pitcher. A string of thin wafer-like kadakanya i.e. sweet puri and karanjya i.e. coconut pie, with a garland hanging over the pitcher, are tied to the top, signifying the goddess`s presence.

The chief Gondhali, holding a flaming torch, has three to six comrades with musical instruments like tal or cymbals, sambaland chaundkedrums, conch, and the stringed tuntune. He is dressed in a huge, knee-length garment requiring around 25 m of cloth, and wears a string of sixty-four cowrie shells and sixty-four silk gondas i.e. tassels set alternately and a kanganidar pagri i.e. tall turban. His companions are in traditional everyday dhotis. The purvaranga begins with namaskar to the stage, followed by gana i.e. song. The song is for the traditional invocation to the god Ganesha. Gaulan, narrative songs describing the pranks of the child Krishna with the milkmaids come next. All these usually present interspersed with dialogues and dances, jokes and humorous anecdotes. Then comes avahana i.e. prayers to various deities. Avahana are offered, invoking their presence. Other social and mythological songs are also delivered with equal interest.

The uttara-ranga i.e. later part of the performance is far more dramatic and elastic. It consists of an akhyan or narrative, arti or propitiation, and the ceremony oibhar utarane i.e. `removing the burden`. The akhyan comprises a story from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, or the Puranas with several interpolations. The narration proceeds through dialogues, jokes, songs, dances, and prose commentary, without any written script except for khandani i.e. set pieces describing trees, birds, buildings, etc. Several digressions humorously portray contemporary events, traits, and customs, moral and ethical advice is given, for instance to the newly-weds. The akhyan, which can be compressed or prolonged, also contains narrative songs like the Povadas celebrating tales of valour and heroism.

The main Gondhali, dances and sings to fixed conventions, in circular, spinning movements, performing mudras with his fingers. The huge skirt-like expanse of his garment, flowing and floating around him in waves, creates a beautiful visual impact. It can serve as a sari pallav or end, or the pleats gathered together to suggest a sleeping child. After the akhyan, the arti is sung and the load on the Yajamana`s shoulders metaphorically lightened. Rajarambhau Kadam and Keshav Badge have distinguished themselves as Gondhal performers.