Folk Dances of India Part 2 by Dr. Gaurav Garg
Arunachal Pradesh
Lion And Peacock Dance : The dance is a form of folk dance which is practiced by the
Monpa tribe of the Tawang area.
Pasi Kongki Dance : It is a traditional and popular folk dance of Adi Tribes. In this
dance, the song narrates the picturesque social activities of the Pasi of Siang valley.
Popir Dance : The Galo tribes were a god fearing set of people and believed that if god
was with them nobody can be against them. The Popir dance has its origin in that
belief of the Galos.
Bardo Chham: It is a folk dance of Sherdukpens, a small community of West Kameng
District of Arunachal Pradesh, Bardo Chham is based on the stories of good and evil.
Aji Lamu – Performed by the Monpa tribe. These are usually group dances.
Chalo Dance: The Chalo is a folk dance form of the Nocte tribe. The Nocte tribe
celebrates the three day long festival of Loku which is a harvest festival.
Hiirii Khaniing Dance: One of the cultural showcases of the Apatani tribe. This particular dance form is inspired by the
dance performed by Buddhists in the earlier times.
Ponung Dance : Ponung Dance is popular and the most common folk art form. It is traditionally the folk dance of the Adi
community, who are known for their rich cultural way of living.
Buiya Dance: The Digaru Mishmi have two types of dances called Buiya and Nuiya. The Buiya dance has two kinds of
movements and is performed for entertainment while the Nuiya is a ritual dance performed by a priest.
Wancho Dance: The Wancho Tribes perform dances during appropriate occasions like festivals, ceremonies, etc. The
Wancho are a tribal people inhabiting the Patkai hills of Longding District.
Bihar
Bidesia Dance: It is the most popular folk dance of Bihar people. The dance is said to have originated in the 20th century.
Bhikari Thakur is believed to be the father of this dance style. He raised conflicting issues prevailing in society.
Fagua Dance: It is a special dance form and also a type of folk song which is sung and performed in the festival of Holi.
Jhumri Dance: It is another popular dance form of Bihar. It is very much similar to Garba of Gujrat.
Jat-Jatin Dance: It is the most popular folk dance of North Bihar, especially in Mithila and Koshi region. It is performed by a
pair of men and women.
Man goes to far-off place to earn livelihood. Jat-Jatin is a folk dance of the same emigrant husband accompanied by his
spouse. Apart from poverty and sorrow, this dance reflects a rainbow of the sweet and tender quarrel as well as some
complaints between husband and wife.
Jhijhian Dance: It is another dance style popular in Bihar. This is a ritualistic dance performed during no-rain time and aims
at making the God of rain happy. The dance is accompanied by a song which is full of prayers to Lord Indra, the rain God.
Domkach Dance: It is performed by women during marriage in the house of Bridegroom. In Bihar, Domkach dance is
performed in Mithila and Bhojpur regions.
Kajari Dance: It is a popular dance form in Bhojpuri speaking region of Bihar. The dance starts in the month of ‘Shravan’ or
the starting of the monsoon season every year and lasts for the entire duration of rain.
Sohar Dance: It is mainly performed to celebrate the birth of a child. Sohar is also a type of folk song which is sung in order
to praise the child and women dance on it.
Goa
Dhalo Dance: It is a popular ritual folk dance form Goa, India.The dance is performed
by women and serves as a prayer of protection for their households. It is conducted
over a period of 1 week in the month of Pousha at the onset of winter.
Kunbi Dance: - Kunbi dance is a tribal folk dance of the Kunbi community of Goa
that portrays social themes. The dance is simple in its presentation and is performed
during various social occasions.
Lamp Dance: Lamp Dance also known as Divlyanchi Nach is a dance in Goa
performed by women during Shigmo festival. In this dance the Goan women balance
heavy brass lamps with burning wicks on their heads.
Fugdi Dance: It is a Goan folk dance performed by the women in the Konkan region
during Hindu religious festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi and Vrata or towards the end of
other dances like Dhalo.
Shigmo Dance: The Shigmo is a traditional dance of Goa and is performed during the
advent of spring season.
Dekhni Dance: Dekhni is a semi classical Goan dance form.The word Dekhni means
“beauty” in Konkani.
Dekhni song and dance is performed by a row of girls or women only, carrying small
earthen oil lamps. In this dance various women or girls who act as servants of God
and perform around a lovely woman who is the main character in the dance.
Morulem is a traditional folk dance in Goa performed during the Shigmo festival by
the backward community. It derives its name from the peacock also known as "Mor"
in konkani. The dance is also known as a peacock dance and performed to the soft music of a light drum.
Karnataka
Yakshagana: It is a traditional Indian theatre form, developed in Dakshina Kannada,
Udupi, Uttara Kannada, Shimoga and western parts of Chikmagalur districts, in the
state of Karnataka and in Kasaragod district in Kerala that combines dance, music,
dialogue, costume, make-up, and stage techniques with a unique style and form.
Kunitha Dances: Kunitha literally means dance in Kannada.
There are many such Kunithas around the state.
Dollu Kunitha , Gorava Kunitha, Kangadilo Kunitha, Somanna Kunitha, Suggi
Kunitha, Pooja Kunita etc.
Gorava Kunitha of Karnataka is typically performed by groups of 10 to 11 men. They usually belong to the singing tribe of
the Goravas, who are strong worshipers of Lord Shiva
Gaarudi Gombe: It is a folk dance prevalent in the state of Karnataka, India. Dancers adorn themselves with giant doll-suits
made of bamboo sticks.
The term Gaarudi-Gombe means magical-doll in the native language, Kannada. This dance is performed during major
festivals and also in the procession held during the festivities of Mysore Dasara.
This dance is also known as Tattiraya in the coastal districts of Karnataka. The term Tattiraya means a person carrying a doll
made of bamboo stick.
Nagamandala Dance: It is a form of snake worship that is predominant in the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and
Udupi.
Komb-aat: It is a religious dance form performed in temples. It is performed by the men of Kodava.
Bolak-aat: This dance form is performed by Kodava men dressed in all black with an oil lamp in the open field. The dancers
hold chawri (yak fur) in one hand and the Kodava sword odi kathi in the other.
Ummatt-aat: This dance is performed by the Kodava women wearing the traditional Kodava dress with jewellery and
kumkuma on their forehead.
Peeli-aat: This dance form is performed by men in temples where the dancers hold peacock feathers while performing
Kamsale Dance: Kamsale is known as Beesu Kamsale. It is a unique folk art performed by the devotees of God
Mahadeshwara. Kamsale also refers to a brass made musical instrument.
Its origin is traced to the Mythological period. It is a group dance form performed by the menfolk in villages in the Mysore,
Nanjanagudu, Kollegala and Bangalore areas in Karnataka.
Veeragase: It is a vigorous dance based on Hindu mythology and involves very intense energy-sapping dance movements
performed by Jangama. Veeragase is one of the dances demonstrated in the Dasara procession held in Mysore.
Pili Yesa: Pili Yesa in Tulu " Tiger Masque " is a folk dance unique to coastal Karnataka. Pilivēṣa is performed during
Navratri to honour the Goddess Durga whose favoured animal is the tiger. It originated in Udupi District of Karnataka.
Jammu & Kashmir
Kud Dance: which is performed by the local people of Jammu’s middle mountain
ranges, is basically a ritual to honour the Lok Devatas or the Gods of the people. The
Gods are sometimes also referred to as Gramdevatas meaning the Gods of the village.
Dumhal Dance: Dumhal is a dance performed in Jammu and Kashmir of India by the
Watal tribe. Only the men folk of the wattal are privileged to perform this dance, on
specific occasions and at set locations.
Rouf Dance: This dance form is practiced on festive occasions like Eid and Ramzan
days are going. It is performed by a group of women standing face to face to each
other but the most notable feature of this dance form is the footwork of the dancers.
Bachha Nagma: It is generally performed at cultural gatherings or special functions
like weddings and is only and only performed by boys. During the Bacha Nagma, a
teenaged boy dressed as a girl dancer, who is trained in the Hafiza style of dancing
sings Kashmiri Ballad and dances.
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