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Folk Dances of India Part-1

 


Folk Dances of India Part-1 by Dr. Gaurav Garg

Folk Dance Vs Classical Dance

● Folk dance is common people's dance.

● Folk dancing is a simple dance form meant for group performances created for a recreational or celebratory reason

such as agricultural harvest, weddings etc.

● Folk dancing doesn’t have strict rules, its main aim is fun and brotherhood.

● Folk dances are all about energy, enthusiasm and power.

* Classical dance is done by the professionals, there is a lot of training required and these generally represent some form of

rituals.

Chhau

● The word Chhau originates from ‘Chhaya’ meaning shadow.

It is a form of mask dance that uses vigorous martial

movements to narrate mythological stories.

● There are three main styles of Chhau dance –

✓ Saraikela Chhau in Jharkhand

✓ Mayurbhanj Chhau in Odisha

✓ Purulia Chhau in West Bengal

● Of these, Mayurbhanj Chhau artists don’t wear masks.

In 2010, UNESCO inscribed Chhau in the Representative List of

Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Jharkhand

● Dumkaach

● Sarhul (Sarhul is also a name of Festival in Jharkhand)

● Karma Munda - It takes place during the Karma festival when the God of fate or ‘Karma’ is worshipped. This dance is

also performed in Bihar, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh.

● Agni

● Jhumar - Janani Jhumar & Mardana Jhumar, This dance is performed mainly during

the harvest season.

● Paika - This dance is performed by males. This dance has a high degree involvement

of martial arts. Paikas are the groups of soldiers who served to protect the safety of

the kingdom and hence the name.

● Fagua - It is performed during the festival of Holi.

Rajasthan

● Ghoomar -

○ It is a traditional folk dance of Rajasthan.

○ It was the Bhil tribe who performed it to worship Goddess Sarasvati which was

later embraced by other Rajasthani communities.

● Bhavai -

○ The male or female performers balance a number of earthen pots or brass

pitchers as they dance nimbly, pirouetting and then swaying with the soles of

their feet perched on the top of a glass, on the edge of the sword or on the rim

of a brass thali (plate) during the performance.

● Kalbelia -

○ It is a sensuous folk dance performed by the women of the Kalbelia community

of Rajasthan.

○ ‘Been’ (wind instrument played by snake charmers) is the popular musical

instrument of this dance form.

○ UNESCO has inscribed Kalbelia folk songs and dances in the Representative

List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2011.

● Kathputli -

○ Kathputli is performed at many places in India, but origin is Rajasthan.

○ ‘Kath’ means ‘Lakhdi (Wood)’ and ‘Putli’ means ‘Doll’.

○ Kathputli Dance is performed with 

some social message. 

● Chari or Pot dance - 

○ Mainly performed by Women from 

Gujjar community in Kishangarh and 

Saini community in Ajmer. 

○ There is Brass Pot and Fire is lit 

inside the pot. 

● Kachchhi Ghodi - Stories of Bandits is 

shown in this dance form. 

● Chakri - Women of Kanjar tribe perform 

this dance form. 

● Gair - This dance form is performed by Men 

& Women of Bhil tribe holding sticks. 

● Gavari - This dance form is performed by Men of Bhil tribe, expression of devotion to Lord Shiva & Parvati is shown. 

● Terah Taali - The dancers’ community, Kamad (listed as a Scheduled Caste) performs it as a tribute to a local folk 

hero, Baba Ramdev. 

Uttar Pradesh 

● Charkula Dance - 

○ This dance form is Popular in the Braj region. 

○ It’s a tough act of balance where a veiled woman dancer performs with 

108 oil lamps on her head placed on a wooden pyramid platform. 

● Nautanki - 

○ In this dance, the story in lyrical form is narrated by the actors on the 

stage, who also dance simultaneously. 

○ The story is often related to contemporary social problems or national 

feelings. 

● Raasleela - 

○ It is actually a Natya (Drama) belonging to the region of Braj in which 

the stories of Lord Krishna and his consort, Radha, are enacted. 

● Khayal 

● Dadra 

● Kajri - This dance form is performed during Monsoon. 

● Ramlila - Life of Lord Ram is shown in this dance form, It is performed all 

over India but mainly in Uttar Pradesh. 

Madhya Pradesh 

● Jawara - This dance form is performed in Bundelkhand area of MP, it is a harvest 

dance. 

* Bundelkhand is a area spread in 7 districts of Uttar Pradesh (Chitrakut, Banda, Jhansi, 

Jalaun, Hamirpur, Mahoba and Lalitpur) and 6 districts of Madhya Pradesh (Chhatarpur, 

Tikamgarh, Damoh, Sagar, Datia and Panna). 

● Matki - This dance is mainly performed in Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh. 

● Naurata - It is a popular folk dance performed by unmarried girls of Bundelkhand 

region. 

● Maanch - It is a lyrical folk drama and a form of operatic ballet that is very popular 

in Malwa in Madhya Pradesh, It shows little bit of western culture. 

● Grida Dance - It is performed when rabi crops sway in the fields in full bloom. 

Chhattisgarh 

● Gaur Maria - It is an important ritualistic dance form of the Bison Horn Maria tribes 

who live in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh. 

● Saila Dance - It is a Tribal dance and it is performed post harvest. 

● Raut Nacha - It is performed by yadava/yaduvanshis, a caste which considers them to be descendants of Krishna. 

● Panthi Dance - It is Dance of Satnami tribal community in Chhattisgarh on the occasion of Maghi Purnima which 

marks the birth anniversary of Satnami Guru Ghasi Das.

● Soowa Dance - It is a Parrot dance in which dancers keep a parrot in a pot made of Bamboo and form a circular shape 

around it. 

● Pandavani - This dance portrays the life of Pandavas. 

● Jhirliti 

● Gendi 

Himachal 

● Nati - 

○ It is performed in many regions like Kullu (Kullvi Nati), Shimla , Kinnaur (Kinnauri Nati). 

○ Some places it is performed during Harvest season, some places it is performed on new year. 

● Demon/Rakshasha dance - 

○ This dance form is from Kinnaur, it is performed with demon masks. 

○ It represents the attack of the demons on the crops and their ritual pursued away by the forces of good. 

● Dalshone and Cholamba - It is a dance of mainly Ropa valley. 

● Shand and Shabu - It is a dance of mainly Lahaul valley. 

● Dangi - This dance is performed during the harvest season in the temple of Goddess 

Naina Devi. 

● Kayang Mala 

Gujarat 

● Dandiya - 

○ This dance stages a mock-fight between the Goddess Durga and Mahishasura. 

○ The sticks (dandiyas) of dance represent the swords of Durga. 

● Garba - 

○ ‘Garba’ is derived from the Sanskrit term Garbha (womb) and Deep (lamp). 

○ Traditional garba is performed around a central lamp or around Goddess 

Shakti. 

● Padhar - This dance is performed by Padhar Community. 

● Hudo dance - It is performed by Bharwad Tribe, the shepherd community of Gujarat. 

● Tippani - 

○ This dance is from Chorwad, Junagadh district. It has women from the seaside 

striking the floor with sticks and chanting, while other women dance. 

Assam 

● Bagurumba - 

○ It is performed by Bodos, practiced during Bwisagu, a Bodo 

festival in the Vishuva Sankranti (mid-April). 

○ Bwisagu begins with cow worship; then, young people 

reverentially bow down to their parents and elders. 

● Bhortal - It is performed in Barpeta district, The dancers are 

equipped with cymbals. 

● Ojapali 

● Jhumur - It is mainly performed by the Tea community in Autumn. 

● Bihu 

1. Rongali or Bohag Bihu - April, celebrates spring festival, and 

new year (new year is celebrated by states with different names, In 

Assam it is celebrated as ‘Rongali’). 

2. Kongali or Kati Bihu - October, related to agriculture, people 

light lamps or candles. (Kongali means ‘Kangal’ which means money crisis, October is the crop growing season). 

3. Bhogali or Magh Bihu - January, Harvest festival. In this ‘Bhog’ is done when harvesting time of crops comes.


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