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Folk Dances of India

For untold centuries India, with its vast variety of ethnic groups, races, and cultural groups, has been a veritable treasure house of dance and music. There is not a region, a valley or mountain, a sea coast, or a plain, which does not have its characteristic folk dances and songs.

Dances of the Plains: The richest amongst the dances of the plains are the dances of the Hos and the Oraons of Jharkhand, the Marias of Bastar in Chhattisgarh and the Santhals of Bengal and Jharkhand. Kaksar is a typical festival dance performed by the Abhujmaris before reaping a harvest. First, the deity is worshipped and then the dance is performed. The men appear fairly attired with a belt of bells around their waists, so do the women, in short brief saris, but richly be jeweled. The dance provides the occasion for choosing life partners. The marriage or marriages which so emerge are enthusiastically celebrated. The rhythms are complex, the chorographical patterns varied. The bell belts of the men dancers and the jewels of the women add to the variety of rhythmical patterns of the dance. The instruments used are dhol (cylindrical drum), timiki (bowl shaped percussion instruments) and bansuri (a kind of flute). Close to the lush marshland of Madhya Pradesh and yet very different, are the tribes of Jharkhand. Amongst these, the Hos and Oraons are rightly famous for their vigour and vivacity.

Himalayan Dances: From the northern Himalayas region, come many dances which belong to the village communities. Himachal and northern Uttar Pradesh are the home of many interesting and colourful dances.
Two popular favourites from Jaunsar Bawar in Uttar Pradesh. The musical instruments resemble those used by the dancers of Himachal Pradesh comprising narshingha (a large trumpet), brass bells, barrel shaped percussion instruments and bowl-shaped drums.

Bhangra of Punjab: In the Punjab, a virile agricultural dance called the Bhangra is popular and is closely linked with the ritual importance which is given to wheat. After the wheat crop is sown, the young men gather together in an open field under the light of the full moon in answer to the beat of the drum.

A skilled Bhangra dancer may even perform some highly complex acrobatic movement with the torso touching the floor, through a spinal back bend or another dancer stand on his shoulders, while he dances on his knees.

Since there are no rigorous rules of the Bhangra, it leaves an overwhelming impression of fresh spontaneous vigour and vitality. Its movements are nevertheless characteristics of the masculinity of the Punjabi and cannot be mistaken for anything else.

Rouf of Kashmir: Further north in Kashmir, the occasion of dance are many. Rouf is a typical dance of the women at spring time with across interlocked separate rows made, and each singing a different line of the song, almost as question and answer. The steps are light moving backwards and forwards with slight swings and sways.

INDIAN DANCES: FOLK DANCES OF STATES

• UP: Nautanki, Ras Lila, Kajri, Karan etc.
• Gujarat: Dandiya, Ganpathy, Raslila, Garba.
• Goa: Dhakto, Shigmo, Goll, Talagadi, Tongamel, Mussal Khel, Corridinbo etc.
• Daman: Gherba (during Diwali)
• Pondichery: Poorakkali, Kolkali, Mascarada etc.
• Tamil Nadu: Peacock dance, horse dance, Rope, Bamboo dance, Karagam, kavadi
• West Bengal: Kathi, Chhau, Baul, Kirlan etc.
• Karnataka: Suggi Kunita, Kola, Yakshagana.
• Maharashtra: Dahikala, Tanassa, Dasaratar, Lezim, Dandanlya, Gala, Kathakeertan, Lovani etc.
• Bihar: Jata Jatin, Gadur, Chhau, Kathaputli, Bakho, Ghijhiya, Samochakwa, Karma, Natna etc.
• Orissa: Ghumara Sanchar, Chadya, Dandanata.
• Andhra Pradesh: Ghanta Mardala, Veedhi Natakam, Burrakatha.
• Himachal Pradesh: Nati, Gurkhali, Bhangra and Ras Leela.
• Punjab: Bhangra, Giddha, Jhummer, Ludi Sami
• Haryana: Phag, Loor, Dhamal, Jhoomer, Daph.
• Rajasthan: Dhumer, Rai, Babajee, Garba, Ger, Lari, Dhokri, Gorba, Talwar, Natch, Shankaria.
• Chhattisgarh: Panthi, Danda, Sarhul, Raul, Suaa, Karma.
• Uttranchal: Jagar, Chaufulla, Jhumaila, Jhoda.
• Jharkhand: Karma, Jhumri, Panwaria, Jogida.