Indian Folk Dances

Folk Dances in India:

Classification:

*Occupational

*Seasonal

*Martial

*Devotional

*Ritualistic

Popular Indian Dance forms are

Bihu (Assam):

Bihu is dance form of Assam, in which both men and women make brisk movements.

Other important danceforms of Assam state are:

Cance dance – Surma Valley

Tabal Chongbi – Performed during Holi

Nong Krem – Khasi hills

Nati

BHANGRA (Punjab):

Most popular dance of Punjab done during social festivals, weddings and mostly during Harvest season in the month of April.

Cham (Arunachal Pradesh):

Cham is a masked ritual dance

Charkula (Uttar Pradesh):

In this dance form, veiled women balance large multi-tiered circular wooden pyramids on their heads, alight with 108 oil lamps and dance to the stains of ‘rasiya’ – songs of Lord Krishna.

Charkula is performed on third day after Holi – the day on which Radha was born.

Chhau (Eastern India):

It’s a martial dance form with use of mask. It’s Very famous in West Bengal, Orissa and Jharkhand. Chhau is done in different styles in these states with Seraikela in Jharkhand, Purulia in Bengal and Mayurbanj in Orissa. Chhau as its name resembles is derived from “chayya” means masked or shadow.

Garba (Gujrat):

Folk dance of Gujrat, Garba is enacted before the temple of Goddess AMBA. For laymen garba is Rhythmic clapping and circular movements which is performed during Navratri and Holi.

Gaur(M.P.):

It is veryfamous in Bastar district performed during marriages. Call for the dance is given by a bamboo trumpet or horn. Done with both men and women. Men with drums move in a circle incorporating moments of Bison.

Kummi (Tamil Nadu):

Kummi is performed by Women during temple festivals, pongal etc. In Kummi, women stand in a circle and dance while clapping their hands rhythmically which is lead by a women while other refrain.

Other famous dance form of Tamil Nadu: Therukoothu, which is performed by men and women during village festivals.

Padayani (Kerala):

Padayani is a famous dance form done during regional temple festivals with its main centres in Kotayam, Quilon, Pathanamthitta, Alelley districts of Kerala. It’s done using masks of various shapes.

Some other dance forms are:

Kutiyattam, which is Sanskrit theatre tradition of more than 2000 yrs closely, follows the precepts of Natyashastra.

Ras Dances(Manipur):

Ras Dances celebrates the season and depicts the life of Sri Krishna with Maha Ras, Nitya Ras And Vasanta Ras as its main forms.

Rouf (J&K):

Performed by women at the time of harvest.

Hikat another dance form of J&K is also performed at the time of harvest but by guys and girls.

Tamasha (Maharashtra):

Tamasha is 18^th century form of entertainment which is derived from Persian word “spectacle”.

Other important dance forms of Maharashtra are:

Katha & Keerthan, Lavani & Lezim.

Yakshagana (Karnataka):

It’s a musical dance form of Ramayana and Mahabharata mainly manifestation of Lord Vishnu. In this dance form footwork is important with no or negligible usage of hands. The dance starts in the twilight with beating compositions on drums for an hour before the actors get on stage.