Folk Dances of India

Dance, being a part of man s life from the primitive to the most cultured communit
y, appears to have evolved even before he began to speak or paint. While the pri
mitive man performed the dance combining the reality with the deity, the culture
d man performed the dance for pleasure and for the expression of art.
India is a land of varied cultures and traditions. Diversities in all spheres ma
ke the Indian culture quite unique. Indian folk and tribal dances are product of
different socio-economic set up and traditions. Indian folk and tribal dances a
re simple and are performed to express joy. In India we have festivals and celeb
rations virtually every day. This has added to the richness of Indian culture. S
ince every festival is accompanied by celebration, folk dances have become an in
tegral part of our social milieu. While there are numerous folk and tribal dance
s, they are constantly improved. The skill and the imagination of the dances inf
luence the performance.
Folk dances are performed for every possible occasion, to celebrate the arrival
of seasons, birth of a child, a wedding and festivals.Indian folk dances are ful
l of energy and vitality. Some dances are performed separately by men and women
while in some performances men and women dance together. On most occasions, the
dancers sing themselves, accompanied by artists with instruments. Each form of f
olk dance has a specific costume and rhythm. Most of the costumes, worn for folk
dances, are colorful with extensive jewels and designs.
Dances of Rajasthan
Kalbelia Dance
This fascinating kalbelia dance is performed by the women of Kalbelia community,
age-old occupation being catching snakes and trading snake venom. Hence the dan
ce movements and the costumes bear resemblance to that of the serpents. Dancers
are attired in traditional black swirling skirts, sway sinuously to the accompan
iment of pungi, dufli and plaintive notes of the 'been' - the wooden instrument
of the snake charmers.
Two or three women sing in a high-pitched, free flowing voice, while others join
in the dance. The vigorous and zestful display of their perfect movements to th
e enchanting tune of musical instruments is a treat to the eyes.
Chari Dance
This dance requires a lot of patience and balance. The dancers carry brightly li
t brass pots on their heads, displaying many flexible movements of the body. It
is a dance of gay occassions.
Ghoomar Dance
A community dance of the Rajputs,performed by the women of the house and traditi
onally out of bounds for men,it uses simple swaying movements to convey the spir
it of any asuspicios occasion. There is however, and amazing grace as the skirts
flare slowly while the women twirl in circles, their faces covered by veil.Trad
itionally, all women perform this dances.
Fire Dance
This traditional folk dance of rajasthan is performed by the Banjara Community.I
t is also performed in Fiars.While dancing dancer usually takes two flame sticks
in their hands and fill up the mouth with Kerosene oil,then throws the oil over
the lamps.Another glimpse is that flamed rods are circulated over heads and leg
s, also keeping of the head is performed.
Kachhi Gori
Originated from the bandit regions of Shekhawati, the dance is performed for the
 entertainment of a bridegroom s party. Dancers wear elaborate costumes resemble t
hem riding on dummy horses. A vigorous dance, it uses mock-fights and the brandi
shing of swords, nimble sidestepping and pirouetting to the music of fifes and d
rums. A ballad singer usually sings the exploits of the bandit Robin Hoods.
Dances of Gujarat
Garbha Dance
A graceful, rather unique dance associated with the raas lila of Krishna and the
gopis (female cowherds). This is danced by both men and women, moving in a circ
le holding and clicking painted sticks with attached bells. These are the famous
dandiya sticks and have led to Garbha being referred to as dandiya raas. Former
ly associated with the legend of Krishna, Garbha is now a regular feature during
the Navratri puja (nine nights in honor and worship of the goddess Durga).

Dandiya Dance
Ideally, two circles formed by men and women move in clockwise and anti-clockwis
e directions with two sticks called dandiyas held in their hands. The song sung
on the occasion is essentially an amorous one. Raas is a very energetic, colourf
ul and playful dance providing opportunity for acting and exchanging messages th
rough eye contact. It is no wonder that many romances bloom during Navaratri and
hence the popularity of the dance among the younger generation.
Dances of Punjab
Bhangara
The most popular instinctive dance of men in Punjab, Bhangra , if not the most r
obust, is one of India's popular folk dances. This dance is performed during the
Baisakhi festival to the accompaniments and songs of Dholak. The dancers snap t
heir fingers, do balancing tricks and indulge in acrobatic feats. They recite wi
tty couplets known as bolis and out of sheer exuberance mouth meaningless sounds
such as hoay, hoay. The dancers are dressed in lungis and turbans. The drummer
usually takes his place in the centre of the circle. The counterpart of the Bhan
gra is the Gidha, danced by womanfolk. The dance is a group number, but often in
dividual dancers or pairs detach themselves from the group and perform while the
rest keep clapping in rhythm. In this as in the Hikat of Kashmir, pairs of danc
ers go round and round with the feet planted at one place. The festival of Teeya
n, to welcome the rains is the principal time for the Gidha.
Gidda
Gentler than the Bhangra, the Gidda is danced by women and young girls on family
and festive occasions. The girls and women form a circle, with one of their num
ber in the center. The tradition of Boliyan (light-hearted satirical verse) is o
bserved here as well, and is as much a part of the dance as are the colorful reg
ional dresses. The dholki drum provides music and often singers keep music by ta
pping spoons on the body of the drum.
Dances of Manipur
Manipuri Dance
Manipuri. Performed still in temples and religious occasions, inextricably woven
into the lives of the people of Manipur, this dance form is a very much living
tradition. A genuine Manipuri dance performance offers a glimpse of a rare and
ancient civilization still extant. This style is multifaceted, ranging from the
softest feminine to the obviously vigorous masculine. Dignified grace is to be f
ound in every aspect and the range it offers in technique, rhythmics and tempo m
akes a Manipuri recital an absorbing and exhilarating experience. Manipuri dance
is a generic name and covers all the dance forms of this land. According to leg
end, Lord Shiva and his consort Parvati danced in the valleys of Manipuri to the
accompaniment of the Ghandharvas to the celestial light of Mani (jewel) from th
e head of the Atishesha, a serpant and that is how it has come to be called Mani
puri.

Dances of Maharashtara
Tamasha / Lavani Dance
Lavani is a musical discussion. It has something in common with the bow-song. It
is performed in the months of April-May to herald the coming of spring chiefly
in Thanjavur district, the culturally important areas in Tiruchirappalli distric
t and in Madurai district.
One team argues that Manmatha or Kaman, the god of love was burnt to death by lo
rd Shiva and that it was a physical act reducing him to ashes. The other team ar
gues that it was an allegory. What was burnt was Kama or Carnal desire and maint
ains that Kaman never died and that he has ingrained himself in the heart of cou
ntless souls. In counter-arguments and rebuttals, ideas or religion and ethics a
re put forward to the accompaniment of drum music provided by each of the singer
s in the group. References are made to the Puranas and the Shastras. The perform
ance lasts a whole night and groups of singers treat the crowd to great entertai
nment by their fluency of thought and speech. At the end of the Lavani performan
ce, a replica of Manmathas mount is burnt. The earlier and original Kaman pandig
ai of the Tamils is said to have consisted of dirge songs in front of a symbolic
al representation of Manmatha.
Dindi Dance
In the state of Maharashtra, religious devotional dances are called Dindi. The m
usicians for this dance comprise a "Mridangam" player and vocalist who give the
dancers the necessary musical background. This dance is usally performed on the
Ekadashi day in the month of Kartik.
Dances of Assam
Bihu Dance
Bihu is the most popular folk dance of Assam. The people of Assam are very proud
of it and rightly so. Except Bhangra no other folk dance in India can compete w
ith the rythmic exuberance of Bihu. Bihu dances performed by young boys and girl
s characterised by brisk stepping, flinging and flipping of hands and swaying of
hips represents youthful passion, reproductive urge and 'Joie-de-vivre'.
Dances of Kerala.
Padayani dance
Padayani is one of the most colorful and popular dances of Southern Kerala. Pada
yani is associated with the festival of certain temples, called Padayani or Padd
eni. Such temples are in Alleppey, Quilon, Pathanamthitta and Kottayam districts
. The main Kolams (huge masks) displayed in Padayani are Bhairavi (Kali), Kalan
(god of death), Yakshi (fairy) and Pakshi (bird).
Dances of Karnataka
Dollu Kunitha Dance
Dollu Kunitha is a popular drum dance of Karnataka state. In the Dollu Kanitha d
ance, large drums are adorned with colored clothes and hang around the necks of
men. The songs used in this dance usually have religious and battle fervor. The
main emphasis is on quick and light movement of the feet and legs. The Dollu Kun
itha dance forms a part of the ritualistic dances of the Dodavas of Karnataka.