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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