BASIC ASPECTS OF DANCE - excellcareeronline.com

DANCEThe sculptures of yore are silent evidence of the antiquity of the Indianclassical dance tradition. Sacred texts show the close association of religion withdance. Indian dance, like other Indian arts, has always been conscious of therelationship between the human being and God. The divine concept of the cosmosand the philosophy of Indian thought pervade and form a backdrop to the4ancetechniques. Dance was a ritual form of worship in temples. The much denigrateddevadasis in the temples, in their rituals of worship, kept alive the art form, till acultural revival brought the dances out of the temples into the theatres of thepresent.The principles of Indian classical dance whatever the style—derive from theNatyashastra (c. 2nd century AD) by Bharatamuni. Natya includes dance, musicand drama. Bharatamuni traces the origin of the art form to Brahma. It was Brahmawho, on perceiving the growing desire, greed, jealousy anger, and misery in theworld, went into meditation and created a fifth Veda, viz., the Natyaveda,representing the essence of the existent four Vedas. The intellectual content of theRigveda, the music of the Samaveda, abhinaya or mime from the Yajurveda andthe rasa from the Atharvaveda have been brought together in the Natyaveda toembody moral and spiritual truths. Thus the art form is meant not just to entertainbut also to instruct and inspire discipline and righteousness.The dancing Shiva, Nataraja, represents in his art creation, preservation,destruction, release from bondage and the cycle of life and death. Parvati, learningthe art from Shiva, in turn taught it to the people of the earth. Whatever the origin,dance is often considered to be a „complete art‟, at least a composite art enfoldingin its range other fine arts—music, of course, besides elements of sculpture, poetryand drama.BASIC ASPECTS OF DANCEThere are two basic aspects to Indian classical dance, namely, tandava andlasya. If the former denotes movement and rhythm, the latter denotes grace, bhavaand rasa, and abhinaya. Nritta consists of dance movements in their basic form;nritya is expressional, enacting the sentiments of a particular theme. These are1

expressed through mudras or gestures and poses. The hasta is a hand gesturerepresenting a word or even an idea. There are 108 karana or fundamental poses.A famous treatise on dance is Nandikeswara‟s Abhinaya Darpana. Laterworks include Maheshwar Mahapatra‟s Abhinaya Chandrika and Jadunath Singh‟sAbhinaya Prakash.Bharata and other writers have emphasised that learning can only comethrough gurus. The traditions—the sampradaayas have been taught by gurus totheir sishyas through the centuries.The nayaka-nayaki bhava, symbolic of the human soul surrendering itself asthe beloved (nayaki) of the One Lover (nayaka) of the universe, i.e., Divinity, is acommon theme of Indian dance. Apparently erotic songs, too, can be interpreted onthis higher plane. There are nine rasas: love, heroism, pathos, humour, anger, fear,disgust, wonder and peace.CLASSICAL DANCE FORMSClassical dance comes in many forms in India. Each region has evolved itsdistinct style with its special nuances, though the roots are the same.BharatanatyamAccording to some scholars, the name derives from Bharata‟s Natyashastra.Some ascribe it to Bha, Ra and Ta standing for Bhava, Raga and Tala. Whateverthe significance of the name, this ancient dance form has been nurtured in TamilNadu and most probably derived from the sadir—the solo dance performances bythe devadasis, the temple dancers. Over the years, the devadasis fell into disrepute,and with their decadence the art form too languished. It was in the early twentiethcentury that E. Krishna Iyer, a freedom fighter and art connoisseur, took up thecause of Bharatanatyam. Fighting against prejudice and propaganda, he was quitesuccessful in reviving interest in the dance form. Another name associated with therevitalisation of the form is that of Rukmini Devi Arundale. In Austria, RukminiDevi Arundale learned Russian ballets from Anna Paviova, who was the one toadvise her to learn Indian classical dance. Rukmini Devi met PandanallurMeenakshi Sundaram Pillai and took lessons from him. She brought about a greatrevolution in Bharatanatyam. She was keen to design costumes that were artistic2

and design exquisite jewellery and ornaments. She stressed on the selection ofmadams and the spiritual aspects of the themes enacted. She founded theKalakshetra for training students in the art of Bharatanatyam. Kalakshetra laidemphasis on correct movements and thorough training. The art of nattuvangam istaught here. It has therefore gained reputation as an international dance centre. —The two famous styles of Bharatanatyam are the Pandanallur and theThanjavur styles. Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai was a famous exponent ofBharatanatyam. He had a style known as the Pandanallur school of Bharatanatyam.It is known for its broad sweeping movements, exquisite framing of teeramanamswith beautiful adavus.The repertory of the Bharatanatyam of today is considered to have beencodified by four famous dance teachers (nattuvanar) of Thanjavur—Chinniah,Ponniah, Shivanandam and Vadivelu—who flourished in the reign of MaharajaSarfoji, in the early nineteenth century. A Bharatanatyam recital usually beginswith alarippu, an invocatory piece consisting of simple rhythmic syllables andbasic positions of the dance. The jatiswaram is pure dance, creating forms ofbeauty through poses and rhythmic movements. The shabdam is abhinaya to a songin praise of the glory of God (or a royal patron). The varnam, a complex item,combines nritta and nritya, rhythm and expressional items, synchronising bhava,tala and raga. This is perhaps the most challenging item in Bharatanatyam. Inpadam the dancer may reveal mastery over abhinaya. Practically all padams dealwith the theme of love. Jawalis are shorter love- lyrics in a faster tempo. Thillanausually concludes the performance. It is again pure dance with intricate rhythmicvariations and exuberant movement.Some of the famous names associated with Bharatanatyam are given below.T. Balasarsawati was known for her enchanting, inimitable and exquisitesandharibhavas in abhinaya. She has won international acclaim f6r her danceportrayal.A rare combination of a flawless dancer, choreographer, music composer,singer, research scholar, teacher and author, Padma Subramanyam was the firstdancer to introduce Pushpanjali as a dance piece. She has written many articles thathave been compiled as Legacy of a Legend. She has also composed a Bengali3

varnam, the first of its kind whose lyrics have been penned by Salil Chaudhry.Padma researched on kara‟nas in Indian dance and sculpture and has desighed thesculptures of the karanas of Lord Shiva with his consort Parvati that are kept in theNataraja Temple at Satara, located in Maharashtra. She is the director ofNrityodaya, a dance school founded by her father in 1942.Alarmel Valli holds the distinction of being the leading proponent of thePandanallur tradition in Bharatanatyam. People have applauded her for bringingdepth, passion and spontaneity into her work. She has performed in almost all themajor festivals in India and has also displayed her talent in most of the culturalcapitals of the world. She is responsible for creating an international awarenessabout Bharatanatyam. Alarmel Valli founded „Dipashikha‟, a Centre forPerforming Arts, in 1984. The centre was set up with the aim of imparting trainingto promising new artists. Alarmel Valli has involved herself in research work onclassical Tamil anthologies of Sangam poetry. She has, tried to use danceperformances for bringing the beauty of the poem in front of the people. Her owndistinct style, which emerged as a result of her practice as well as research, hasenriched the domain of Bharatanatyam. Alarmel has brought a contemporaryinterpretation to the traditional framework‟ of classical Indian dance.Through her, alluring dance performances, Yamini Krishnamurthypopularised Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi all Over the world. Her initial trainingin Bharatanatyam took place at Rukmini Devi Arundale‟s Kalakshetra. Afteracquiring an impeccable structural base at Kalakshetra, she went on to higherstudies under renowned masters.Mrinalini Sarabhai is a noted exponent of Bharatanatyam. A student ofKalakshetra, she founded: her own dance academy called Darpana for impartingtraining in Bharatanatyam and other allied arts. She is also a well knownchoreographer of several dance dramas. Mrinalini has attempted contemporaryinterpretations of mythological themes. She has been recognised for her creativeexperiments with choreography.Anita Ratnam is one of the most talented dancers of the Indiansubcontinent. She has been trained in Bharatanatyam, Mohiniattam and Kathakaliand is counted amongst the best choreographers of the South. She has written the4

Natya Brahmam, a book, and served as the editor and publisher of Narthaki, adirectory of Indian dance. She is the founder-director of Arangham, anorganisation based in Chennai that is involved in the promotion of performing arts.Anita is one of the main persons responsible for the initiation of „The OtherFestival‟, held in Chennai every December for promotion of contemporary Indiandance.Mallika Sarabhai is a famous dancer in Bharatanatyam as well asKuchipudi style. She along with her mother, Mrinalini, manages the DarpanaAcademy of Performing Arts. It is a centre for performing arts where talent isencouraged and is given a platform to be showcased.KuchipudiThe dance is named after the village of its birth, Kuchelapuram orKuseelavapuri in Andhra Pradesh. The Kuseelavas (or Kuchigallu) were groups ofactors going from village to village. Kuchipudi is the colloquial form of theSanskrit term „Kuseelavapuri‟.Kuchipudi dance form may be traced to the dance-dramas enacted bybrahmins in temples. It was traditionally a male preserve. Under the impact ofVaishnavism, the themes began to be based on the Bhagavat Purana. It wasSiddhendra Yogi who, in the fourteenth/fifteenth centuries, inspired the revival ofKuchipudi which had faded into obscurity. He composed the Bhama Kalapamwhich has now become a part and parcel of the Kuchipudi repertoire. He prevailedupon young brahmin boys to dedicate themselves to devotional dances that wouldlead them to salvation, and they were known as „Bhagavatulu‟.The Vijayanagara kings patronised the dance form as did the Golcondarulers after them. Some of the leading families of Kuchipudi dancers were givenland shares in the village. Gurus of these families have preserved and handed theart traditions down the generations. Two famous names are Vedantam andVempati.Kuchipudi, however, remained confined to remote village temples of AndhraPradesh till the early twentieth century when Balasaraswathi and Esther Sherman(Ragini Devi) helped to bring it out of obscurity. Indrani Rehman played a5

pioneering role in popularising the dance form. The strictly male preserve wasbrought to the people by famous female dancers—Yamini Krishnamurthi,Swapnasundari and Shobha Naidu. Vempati Chinna Satyam and VedantamSatyanarayana became great gurus as well as dancers.Kuchipudi combined lasya and tandava elements, folk and classical shades.Prescribed costumes and ornaments are strictly followed.Besides dance dramas, there are solo items such as Manduka shabadarn(story of the frog maiden), Balagopala Taranga (involving dancing with the feet onthe edges of a brass plate) and Tala chitra nritya in which dancers draw pictures onthe floor with their dancing toes.A discussion of some famous Kuchipudi dancers follows.Vempati Chinna Satyam established the Kuchipudi Arts Academy inChennai for training in the dance form. He renewed and restored a diluted andcruder form of the dance, evolving a personal and pure style. This has helpedKuchipudi achieve a privileged position among classical dance forms.Yamini Krishnamurthy played an important part in popularisingKuchipudi at a time when it was emerging as a solo dance form.The world-renowned dancing duos, Raja and Radha Reddy, are known fortheir flawless technique. They have propagated Kuchipudi dance form all over theworld. They have codified the entire range of basic movements and mudras of theart form. Parampara „Natyam‟, Ananya and Life Tree are among the importantproductions of the duo. Their academy, „Natya Tarangini‟, is their endless attemptto strengthen the place of Kuchipudi in the global cultural scene.Swapnasundari is a popular name in the dance form; she is one 9f the firstdancers who specially emphasised the aspect of presentation as well as musical andacademic aspect of the dance form. She is the founder-director of the KuchipudiDance Centre, New Delhi where she trains young people in the art. She hasproduced a number of ballets.6

Daughter of Raja and Radha Reddy, Yamini Reddy is known for her abilityto hold different moves and balance the poses along with possessing a good senseof rhythm. She has performed at various international festivals.Chinta Krishnamurthy is a well-known performer and guru of the dance;he has trained a generation of Kuchipudi actor-dancers. He organised theVenkatarama Natya Mandali on a sound footing. He, along with BandaKanakalingeswara Rao, established the Shri Siddhendra Kalakshetram that impartstraditional training.Vijaya Prasad, who has practised and taught Kuchipudi for half-a-century,is best known for her own unique elegant and mellifluous style of the dance.Divya Yeluri, Lakshmi Babu, Swathi Gundapuneedi and Anuradha Nehruare among the other famous Kuchipudi dancers.OdissiOdisha, according to cultural historians, presents the earliest evidence ofdance in India; in the caves of Udaigiri and Khandagiri there are carved panels ofmusic and dance. The dancing of maharis (devadasis) was an indispensable part ofreligious rituals in temples. Odissi probably derives its name from Odra nrityawhich is mentioned in the Natyashastra.After the twelfth century AD, Odissi was greatly influenced by Vaishnavismand the bhakti cult. Jayadeva‟s Ashtapadi became a compulsory item in itsrepertoire. The mahari system soon fell prey to decadence. The ascetic followers ofVaishnavism, disapproving of the immoralities of the devadasi system, introducedthe practice of getting young boys to dance the ritual dances in the temples. Theseboy dancers were known as Gotipuas; they dressed up as females and danced likethe maharis, but after the age of eighteen they stopped performing and took toteaching. Thanks to the practice, Odissi has had some famous gurus—MohanMohapatra, Kelucharan Mohapatra, Pankaj Charan Das, Hare Krishna Behra,Mayadhar Raut, to name just a few.Odissi, however, came into popularity in the mid-twentieth century when thedance critic Charles Fabri wrote on the style and Indrani Rehman took the troubleof learning it and brought it to prominence on stage.7

Odissi has been, appropriately enough, termed as „mobile sculpture‟—it is agraceful, sensuous, lyrical dance style. The tribhanga (three bends) posture—sowell expressed in Indian sculpture—is innate to it. Beyond the physical limits ofthe poses, these bends and movements symbolise the means of escape from thelimitations of the body.The repertoire of Odissi usually consists of Mangalacharan; Batunritya (puredance); Pallavi, in which song is elaborated through graceful movements and facialexpressions and interspersed with pure dance and poses; Tharijham, again purenritta (like the Thillana of Bharatanatyam or Tarana of Kathak); and Moksha, theconcluding item, which is the dance of liberation through joyous movements. TheTrikhanda Majura is another way of concluding, indicating a leave-taking from thegods, the audience and the stage.Among the famous Odissi dancers, the earliest was Guru Pankaj CharanDas. He started his career by acting in jatras and used to do comic roles. Heachieved fame by choreographing dance numbers Shiva and Laxmipriya withKelucharan Mohapatra. Pankaj Charan bas was a celebrity Odissi dancer whocombined dance and theatre for entertainment.Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra is considered to be the most famous Odissidancer-guru. He was a pioneering dancer from India who popularised the conceptand modernisation of Odissi dance culture. Kelucharan Mohapatra taught Odissidance to some of the well-known Odissi dancers of future generations.Sanjukta Panigrahi started dancing from the young age of four and wonthe first prize in International Children Dance Festival in 1952. Though she got ascholarship to learn Kathak dance in Mumbai, she became a specialist in Odissidance. She, in fact, was a pioneer in popularising the dance form.Sonal Mansingh is one of the finest Odissi exponents. She has danced toseveral of her own choreographic works and has been responsible for a largenumber of group productions. This body of work is unique in range and scope inthe history of Indian dance, and covers several themes, both of traditional andcontemporary interest. She was the youngest recipient of the Padma Bhushan,when she was given the award in 1992. In 2003, Sonal Mansingh became the firstIndian woman dancer to be awarded Padma Vibhushan. She brings her own vision8

and creativity to Indian mythological stories as well as to contemporary issues,with her subtle control and mastery over both form and content. Her work has alsoveered towards issues concerning women, environment, prison reforms and reinterpretationof ancient myths.Among the celebrated Odissi dancers of foreign origin, Illeana Citaristideserves the most respect. Though an Italian by birth, she settled in Odisha in1979. She learned Odissi dance from Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra. She hasperformed in many Indian festivals in Holland, France and Germany. She haswritten a book on the life, of her guru Kelucharan Mohapatra. She heads aninstitution of Odissi dance named as Art Vision. Giving recognition to herimmense contribution to Odissi dance, the Government of India conferred upon herthe honour of Padma Shri in the year 2006. She has also written about Odissi danceand culture in many foreign language publications in Europe and USA.Among the modem celebrity Odissi dancers, the name of Nilanjana Banerjeeneeds to be mentioned. She learnt her dancing techniques from Guru MayadharRaut of Delhi. She has popularised Odissi dance in the West, not only among theIndian conmunity there, but also among the foreign nationals. She has performedin many festivals held in USA and Europe.Other famous dancers of Odissi include Kiran Sehgal, Rani Karna andMadhavi Mudgal, besides Sharon Lowen of USA and Myrta Barvie of Argentina.KathakaliBorn in the temples of Kerala, the main sources of Kathakali (katha = story;kali = drama) were Kudiattam and Krishnattam, folk drama traditions. It is saidthat Raja Balaveera Keralan created the Ramanattam as a rival to Manadeva‟sKrishnattam. Gradually, the dance drama repertory was expanded with episodesfrom the Mahabharata and Shiva Purana. The Ramanattam evolved into theKathakali. Fostered in the temples, the dance-drama was soon taken out to thepopular stage. But with the breakdown of the old feudal set-up, it began to declinedue to lack of patronage.It was Vallathol Narayana Menon, the great Malayalam poet, who made ithis mission to revive the ancient dance form and give it a lasting institutional9

support. Helped by Mukunda Raja, he founded the Kalamandalam in 1930. Guruslike Kunju Kurup, and Koppan Nair began to teach there. In 1936, the Kerala KalaMandalam was begun at a new site. Ragini Devi was a pioneering woman, to learnthe dance form and perform it. Following her came Shanta Rao, MrinaliniSarabhai, Kanak Rele and Rita Ganguly. The famous gurus who have taught at theKalamandalam include V. Kunju Nair, Krishnan Nair, Gopinathan andKarunakaran Nair.Kathakali is best-suited to an open air stage against the lush greenery ofKerala‟s scenery. It generally requires no props, as the dancers use their gesturesand expressions to suggest the scene. The dance calls for strenuous training and anelaborate make-up. It is worth noting that colour is made use of to indicate mentalstages and character; e.g., green facial make-up indicates nobility, divinity, virtue,while red patches beside the nose and blobs on the nose point to characterscombining royalty and evil and wicked females have black face make-up. Thedance form shows remarkable use of eye movements and expressions.In the repertory of Kathakali, an interesting item is the Thiranottam in whichan aggressive fierce character, standing close behind a curtain held up by two boys,shakes and pulls at the curtain‟ giving glimpses of his headgear, elaborately madeupface and expressive‟ eyes. The dance episode gives an epic grandeur even toevil characters.Kathakali draws its themes from the epics and the Puranas, and it presentsthe eternal conflict between good and evil in a grand manner.A discussion.of some famous Kathakali gurus and dancers follows.Guru Kunchu Kurup was the first Kathakali artist to get the national awardfor Kathakali. He gained popularity for his performance as certain characters: Nala,Hamsam, Rugmangada, Arjun and Lord Krishna. He has excelled in theperformance of minukku veshams such as Kuchelan, Brahmanan and SuridaraBrahmanan.Kavungal Chathunni Panicker belonged to the Kavungal family of sixgenerations of Kathakali artistes. He emphasised the sense of rhythm andinnovated a variety of kalasams or decorative movements. He joined Darpana10

Academy in 1947 as Kathakali instructor and toured as a leader with MrinaliniSarabhai‟s company for a Long time.Other notable Kathakali dancers are Kudamaloor Karunakaran Nair, GopiNath, Mampuzha Madhava Panicker, Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody, OyoorKochugoru Pillai, Chengannur Raman Pillai, Mankonpu Sivasankara Pillai,Kalamandalam Rajeev and others.MohiniattamThe origin of this dance of Kerala is not clear. It is generally held that it wascreated in the reign of Maharaja Swati Thirunal of Travancore in the early 19thcentury. Most of the songs in its repertoire are, indeed, composed by SwatiThirunal. The dance of an enchantress, Mohiniattam has elements ofBharatanatyam as well as Kathakali—the grace and elegance of the former and thevigour of the latter. Danced solo by girls, it is more erotic, lyrical and delicate thanthe other two.The costume and make-up are distinctive and refined.The dance form had sunk into obscurity when Vallathol Narayana Menonmade efforts to revive it. With difficulty he was able to get Kalyani Amma, one ofthe few existing exponents, to teach the dance. It was popularised by artistes likeVyayanthimala, Shanta Rao, Roshan Vajifdar, Bharati Shivaji, Kanak Rele andHema Malini.A leading exponent of Mohiniattam, Sunanda Nair has emerged as one ofthe few practising luminaries of this style of classical Indian dancing. Sunanda hasprepared for her vocation both as a professional dancer and a teacher of dance,through rich and multifaceted experiences in higher academics, stageperformances, classroom instruction and choreography. She is the founder directorof Srutilaya Institute of Fine Arts, Mumbai where she imparts intensive training.Jayaprabha Menon is one of the most accomplished dancers of the form.Even as she is rooted in tradition, her themes are contemporary and interpretationis bold and novel. She blends in her dance a refreshing originality with traditionaldiscipline.11

Pallavi Krishnan is known for her efforts to promote and preserve this styleof Indian classical dance as a living tradition. Her skilful choreography hasenriched her repertoire and inspired many young dancers to take up the form. In1995, Pallavi Krishnan founded the Lasya Academy of Mohiniyattam, based inThrissur, Kerala.Gopika Varma started learning Mohiniyattam at the age of ten. Love forthis graceful and gentle dance of soft rhythm has enabled Gopika to transmitthrough movements and expressions, that at times sigh with nostalgia, purity andsanctity, her own personal worship of the divine.Vijayalakshmi was born into a family with a long lineage of traditionalperforming arts. From an early age, Vijayalakshmi has had the opportunity toperform in several prestigious national and international festivals, opagating thisexquisite and rare dance form around the glob‟for over 20 years. She hasperformed at prestigious national dance festivals. She coauthored a book aloitgwith Guru Bharati Shivaji entitled Mohiniyattam.ManipuriRather different from the other classical dance forms of India, the Manipuristyle emphasises bhakti and not the sensuous aspect. Manipuri too traces its originto mythology. It flourished especially with the advent of Vaishnavism.The drum—pung—is the very soul of this dance. There are several cholomsor dances in Manipuri —the Pung Cholom, Kartal (cymbal) Cholom, Dhol Cholomand so on. The Raasleela is almost inseparable from this dance form. In thecholoms, Manipuri presents both the tandava and the lasya aspects. There areseveral varieties of Raasleela which exude devotional love. The songs in Bengali,Maithili, Bhrajbhasha and Sanskrit are usually compositions of Jayadeva andChandidas.After a period of obscurity in the nineteenth century, it was the poetRabindranath Tagore who introduced Manipuri in Shantiniketan and helped it togain prominence in the 1920s.12

Characterised by lyrical grace and soft undulating movements and sereneexpressions, the Manipuri dance style is well known for its typically gorgeouscostumes. It has a limited use of mudras and the dancer wears no ankle bells.The striking name associated with the dance is that of the Jhaveri sisters—Nayana, Suverna, Ranjana and Darshana who played an important role inpopularising the dance form. Besides them, Charu Mathur and Sadhone Bose haveexcelled at this dance form.Some other famous Manipuri dancers are as follows.Guru Bipin Singha is recognised as a pioneer in Manipuri dance. He is bestknown for innovating dance compositions and choreography, emphasising eachclassical element in a creative way in the performances. He introduced solo danceperformances in traditional Manipuri style. With his well known disciples, theJhaveri sisters and Kalavati Devi, he founded the Manipuri Nartanalaya inMumbai, Kolkata and Jaipur.Guru Nileshwar Mukharjee is a prominent name in Manipuri dance. Hepopularised the dance all over the world.Rajkumar Singhajit Singh and his dance troupe have travelled extensivelyto several countries. He established the Manipuri Nrityashram, a dance school, inNew Delhi. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1986.An accomplished dancer, Poushali Chatterjee has choreographed a numberof dance dramas: Krishna Leela, Rabindranath Tagore‟s Kalmrigaya and MaharshiBhagyachandra. In 1996, she opened her own institution, Nandanik ManipuriDance Academy.Known for her solo performances, Sohini Ray has succeeded in cultivatingher own distinct Manipuri style that involves aspects of dance styles like the balletand Japanese dance styles.KathakBorn in the land of Uttar Pradesh, Kathak most probably had its origin in theRaasleela of Brajbhoomi. Influenced by Vaishnavism, with the central concept ofKrishna as the divine dancer and Radha as his partner, the dance was originally13

associated with temples, and accompanied by keertans. It derived its name fromkathika or story-tellers who recited verses from the epics with gestures, and music.Gradually, it assumed an elaborate style involving nrifta and nritya. Under theMughal rulers, it was influenced by Persian costumes and styles of dancing;Kathak thus branched off into the courtly stream.The dance form, however, degenerated into lascivious styles and becamewhat is derogatively known as „nautch‟. The revival of the classical style came inthe twentieth century through the efforts of Lady Leela Sokhey (Menaka).Any discussion of Kathak would be incomplete without mentioning thegharanas—the most famous being Lucknow, Jaipur, Varanasi and Raigarh. Kathakachieved a peak in the reign of Nawab Wajid Au Khan in Lucknow who learnt thedance himself from Thakur Prasad. Thakur Prasad‟s sons, Bindadin Maharaj andKalka Prasad, greatly enriched the form, both in the abinaya and the nritta aspects.The sons of Kalka Prasad, Achchan Maharaj, Lachchu Prasad and ShambhuMaharaj did much to popularise the dance. The Jaipur Gharana, launched byBhanuji, emphasises fluency, speed and long rhythmic patterns. The LucknowGharana pays more attention to expressiveness and grace. The gharana of Varanasiis said to have evolved in Rajasthan, and it developed a style of its owncharacterised by moderate tempo, grace and precision. The Raigarh Gharana, notso well-known, is said to have developed under the patronage of Raja ChakradharSingh who authored the books Ragaratna Manjusha and Martan Sarwaswa.The typical characteristics of Kathak are its intricate footwork and pirouttes.It may be noted that the knees are not bent or flexed. Both Indian and Persiancostumes are used. The themes range from dhrupads to taranas, thumris andghazals. A solo recital begins with Ganesh Vandana or a Salaami (Mughal style).Anand is the item through which a dancer enters upon the stage; then comes thethaat comprising soft and varied movements. Items of pure rhythmic beauty—todas, tukdas—follow. Gat-nikaas give brief outlines of mythological episodes. Aninteresting aspect of Kathak is the mime performed to the accompaniment ofmusical compositions in which just a single line is interpreted in a variety of waysthrough subtle variations in facial expressions and hastas. A special feature ofKathak is padhant—in which the dancer recites complicated bols and demonstratesthem. The concluding item is kramalya or takar which concentrates on intricate and14

fast footwork. Solo items apart, several ballets are being choreographed in theKathak style by artistes like Kumudini Lakhia and Birju Maharaj.A discussion of some famous Kathak dancers follows.Kartik Ram and Kalyan Das were born in Mhanwarmal village in Bilaspurin 1910. Initially they were trained by Pandit Shivnarayan but later, by Shri Jaipal,Lachchhu Maharaj and Shambhu Maharaj. Kartik Ram and Kalyan Das wereexpert in folk dances, which also made their Kathak dance more creative.The most eminent Kathak dancer of recent times is Birju Maharaj, the onlyson and disciple of Achchan Maharaj and a descendant of Ishwari Prasad who iscredited to be the first known Kathak teacher. An inheritor of the LucknowGharana of the famous family, Ka1ka-Bindadin Gharana of Lucknow, which hasbeen serving the art of Kathak for long, he has given a new dimension to Kathakby experimenting with its application in dance-dramas. He is known for hischoreography. His bold and intellectual compositions in traditional themes arebrilliant. Birju Maharaj has contributed to the music of films such as Shatranj keKhiladi, and choreographed dances for Gadar and Devadas (Sanjay LeelaBhansali‟s version).Sitara Devi has combined the traditions of Banaras and Lucknow in herperformance of Kathak. An exhaustive treatment of the entire gamut of nritta,sometimes in different talas, interspersed with lyrical beauty and compositions ofdramatic intensity followed by moving renditions of thumris and bhajans constituteher long performances which show electrifying energy.Damayanti Joshi was a pioneer in bringing Kathak out of its courtambience and restoring to it dignity and respectability. The traditional court dancerused to wear churidhar pyjamas with an angarkha and a cap. Damayanti wore sucha costume occasionally but she mostly wore saris and ghagras and the sari becameher main costume later. The ghagras she wore were similar to the ones worn bywomen in miniature paintings which allowed easy circling movements. Damayantilearnt from all the three brothers, Achchan Maharaj, Lachchu Maharaj and ShambuMaharaj of the Lucknow Gharana. She also learnt from Gauri Shankar, a JaipurGharana guru who had been with the Menaka Indian Ballet. She evolved a Kathakstyle of her own. Damayanti was famous for both her layakari or the rhythmic15

aspect and bhav, or exposition of moods. Damayanti could reproduce complicatedpatterns played on the tabla in her footwork and translate them into the idiom ofdance. She could dance with ease in the pancha jati tal or five different rhythmiccombinations. She was famous for her compositions Sur Sundari and AshtaNayika.Uma Sharma was initiated in Kathak by Guru Hiralaiji and Girvar Dayal ofthe Jaipur Gharana, and was later a student of Pandit Sunder Prasad, ShambhuMaharaj and Birju Maharaj. She has performed extensively at home and abroad,and has striven to sustain the tradition of bhava in Kathak. She has also enrichedKathak with elements of the traditional Rasleela of Brindaban and broadened itstextual content using contemporary Hindi-Urdu poetry. Collaborating withmusicians and composers like Naina Devi, Pannalal Kathak and Shiva Prasad whohad a deep understanding of Kathak, she has created a large number of delectablecompositions enriching the repertoire of Kathak. Uma Sharma is the founder ofBharatiya SangeetSadan, Delhi, a classical dance and music school.Shovana Narayan has re-defined the ethos and vocabulary of Kathak,enriching it with a deeper and wider canvas of expression and dimensions. Aconsummate artiste and choreographer, she combines artistry with keenobservation and humanism.Malabika Mitra is a performer of notable accomplishment with a fine graspof the technical intricacies of Kathak. Her performances show an assimilation ofthe features of the different schools of Kathak in which she has gained training.Kumudini Lakhiya started her career when Kathak was losing itsreputation and interest among public. She performed at the Edinburgh festival(1956) with Ram Gopal. There they performed the dance-story of Taj Mahal. Shehas worked with Pandit Birju. Maharaj among other artistes. She is known forputting in an element of creative thinking in her performances. She started theKadamb Institute in Ahmedabad.Manisha Gulyani is a versatile Kathak dancer of the Jaipur Gharana. Shehas performed in numerous dance shows in India and has also choreographed for aChinese movie. She is good at performing many folk and tribal dances of India.16

Other well-known names in Kathak are Damayanti Joshi, Rani Karna,Saswati Son, Durgalal and Devilal, Roshankumari, Alka Nupur, and Gopikrishna.ChchauThe Chchau dance is ancient but its origin is obscure. The term may havederived from chchaya; and thus it indicates „shadow‟ or „mask‟. Anotherinterpretation associates Chchau with certain Oriyan colloquial terms to indicate awar dance rather than a masked dance. This accords well with the basic stance andpostures of the dance that resemble those of combatants in a traditional fight.There are three streams of the Chchau nritya—Seraikela (Bihar thoughoriginally from Odisha), Mayurbhanj (Odisha) and Purulia (West Bengal, thoughoriginally from Bihar). Masks are only used in Seraikela and Purulia Chchau.Chchau has traditonally been a male preserve, though lately women have startedlearning and performing the dance.The masks of Seraikela and the movements of Chchau bear resemblance todance styles of Japan, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. Probably, there were close culturalties between these regions in the ancient times.All the three Chchau modes are characterised by vigorous, even martial,styles. Chchau dances are ceremonially performed during the annual Sun festivalor Spring Festival at which Shiva and Parvati are the presiding deities. The themesare drawn not only from the epics and the Puranas but also from Nature. A verypopular item in Seraikela is Chandrabhaga based on a legend of the Moon Princesswho plunges into the sea to escape from the Sun God. Peacock dance, Ocean danceand Spring dance draw on nature for their themes. It may be recalled that RajaBijay Pratap Singh was instrumental in giving Chchau the form of a classicaldance. Mayurbhanj Chchau has very stylised movements of the body. It requiresstamina, flexibility as well as swiftness. Purulia Chchau is also marked by martialgrandeur.In Chchau, vocal music hardly exists, musical accompaniment beingprovided by a variety of drums, the mahuri and flutes.17

FOLK DANCESIndia has a wealth of folklore, legends and myths, which combine withsongs and dances into a composite art. Folk art forms are spontaneous, sometimescrude, and were performed for the masses; however they are not inferior toclassical forms beside which they continue to flourish. Their simplicity has aninherent beauty which appeals to the common people. Folk art is the commonpossession of a group of people or a particular locality. The identity of theoriginators is forgotten, but the style is preserved down the ages. Initially religionoriented,folk art forms gradually became popular media entertainment. Eachregion in India has developed its own folk dances.Jammu and KashmirIn the far north, in Jammu and Kashmir, there are several folk dances.Darnali is a vigorous temple dance performed by men. Rou is danced by women inautumn and during the month of Ramadan. The songs are taken from folkliterature. The Hikit is the dance of maidens. Poets have composed special songsfor this dance. Dumhal is a dance performed by the men folk of the Wattal tribe ofKashmir on specific occasions. The performers wear long colourful robes and tallconical caps that are studded with beads and shells. The party moves in aprocession carrying a banner in a very ceremonial fashion. The banner is dug intothe ground and the men begin to dance, forming a circle. The musicalaccompaniment comprises drum. Kud is a folk dance of Jammu, held when thesowing operations of hilly areas are done and people are at leisure. Dandi nach isperformed by youngsters round an artistic peacock structure of bamboo stickscalled chajja.Ladakh is famous for the devil dance which is performed by lhapas (godmen) and mani-pas (prayer men). It is performed in the premises of a gompa. TheSpaw dance of Ladakh is a martial form of dance with a brilliant display ofcourage, stamina and skill. This dance is performed to commemorate the powerfulwarriors of Ladakh, who once defended the freedom and territorial integrity of theland.18

HaryanaHaryana has a variety of folk songs and dances. Most of the dances areconnected with the spring season and Holi. Dhamal is popular among the Ahirs ofGurgaon and Mahendergarh. It is performed during harvest time. Khoria isperformed by women at the house of the bridegroom after the marriage party hasleft for the bride‟s house. Ghumar and Phag are some dances performed bywomen. Daf and Chaurayya are performed by men.GujaratGujarat has some famous folk dances, the most popular being the Garba andRaas. Garba festival is held at the time of Navaratra in September-October. Garbaactually refers to an earthen pot with holes in which a lamp is lit and around whichthe women dance. The dance involves circular patterns of movement and rhythmicclapping. The word garba comes from garbha deep which is translated as eitherlight in the inner sanctum of the temple or lamp inside the perforated earthen pot(which is used in the dance). Garbi is similar but with different footwork and it ismeant for males, Zeriyun and Kudaniyun are vigorous dances and like the Garbi,danced by farmer women. The songs are generally about Krishna. Barsingh Mehta,Dayanand and Premanand have composed several Garbi songs. Dhamal is a typicalRaas dance done with sticks used as in sword-play. The Goph is a stick dance inwhich strips of colourful cloth tied to a pole in the centre are woven into a rope bythe movements of the dance. Gheraiya Raas is a dance in which dancers hold awand in one hand and a bunch of peacock feathers in the other, and strike the wandagainst that of the partner as they move in a zigzag pattern. Padhar is performed bya rural community that lives around Nal Lake. In it, performers simulate therhythmic movements of roving mariners and the undulating sea waves. The Bhiltribes, who live close to border tracts, and the Adivasis of Dangs district, haveparticularly lively folk dances. Raas is an energetic, vibrant dance, often called the„stick dance‟ because it uses polished sticks or dandiya. It represents a mock-fightbetween Durga and Mahishasura, the mighty demon-king. It is also nicknamed theSword Dance because the dandiya represents the sword of Durga and the dandiyasare hit together. The combination of Garba and Raas has become very popular inrecent times. Fire and Maryland Masti among Tippani dance has originated fromthe Chorwad region of Saurashtra.19

GoaIn Goa the multi-hued Tarangamel dance is all energy and youthfulness. Onthe occasions of Dussehra and Holi, girls and boys swarm the streets in colourfulgroups, waving flags and streamers (tarang). They shout „Ho! Ho!‟ to the beats ofrormut, dhol and tasha. The rainbow-like costumes of the dancers and the multicolouredflags and streamers make Tarangamel a visually appealing affair. TheKoli dance derives its name from the Koli fisherfolk of Goa. The dancesincorporate elements relating to the sea and their occupation of fishing. The danceis performed by both men and women. The theme is romantic: the fisherwomanmaking advances to the fishermen. The dance involves a looped movement whichdepicts the rowing of a fishing boat on undulating waves. Dekhni is the traditionaldance of the Christians. The Fugdi is performed by women in honour of LordGanesha. There is continuous swirling in the dance. Shigmo is performed in thespring season and symbolises regeneration of nature. But it is also performed whensoldiers return victorious from battles. Ghode Modni depicts the brave deeds ofwarriors. Dancers perform armed with swords. The other dances of the state are theKunbi dance, Samayi nrutya, Jagar, Ranmale, Gonph and Tonnya mell.MaharashtraGoing to Maharashtra, we find the well-known Tamasha, a folk theatre. Butits roots lay in the gathas, which depict rural love scenes with a naughty flavour incouplet form. Tamasha was initially a song and dance show, and assumedtheatrical importance under the patronage of the Peshwas and other Maratha chiefs.The Gathas were also the inspiration for the famous Lawani, songs and dances of adecidedly provocative kind. Several Lawani songs for performance in Tamashawere composed by shahirs in the 18th and 19th centuries. Other famous folkdances of Maharashtra are the energetic Lezim and the acrobatic Dahikala. PavriNach or Tarpha Nach is performed in the hilly regions of the northwest. It is alsocalled the Kokna tribal dance. It is done to the accompaniment of the tarpha orpavri, a wind instrument made of dried gourd. The performers hold each other bythe waist and dance in close formation. Men also dance separately, and their danceincludes feats of skill, like forming a pyramid or rapidly revolving a dancer round astout pole. The other dances of the state are Dhangari, Gaja, Povadas, Koli, Dindi,Kala and Dangi.20

RajasthanThe folk dances of Rajasthan are vibrant and lively. The Ghoomar orGangore is a traditional women‟s folk dance which was developed by the Bhil tribeand was adopted by other communities. It is performed by groups of women inswirling robes accompanied by men and women singing together. This folk dancegets its name from ghoomna, the pirouetting which displays the spectacular coloursof the flowing ghaghara, the long skirt of the Rajasthani women. There is anamazing grace as the skirt flairs slowly while the women twirl in circles, their facescovered with the veil. They dance in measured steps and graceful inclinations ofthe body, beating palms or snapping fingers at particular cadences, while singingsome lilting songs. Other dances are the Suisini, Jhulan Leela and Gopika Leela.Kalbella is one the most sensuous form of the dances of Rajasthanperformed by the women of the Kalhelia community. The main occupation of thecommunity is catching snakes and trading snake venom. Hence, the dancemovements and the costumes bear resemblance to those of serpents. Dancersattired in traditional black swirling skirts sway sinuously to the plaintive notes ofthe been—the wooden instrument of the snake charmers. Male participants usedifferent instruments like the pungi, dufli, been, khanjari, morchang, khuralio anddholak to create the rhythm. The dancers, mainly females, spin in a circle, withtheir bodies swaying acrobatically.Bhavai is another important dance form that originated in Rajasthan. Bhavaiis partly entertainment and partly a ritual offering to Goddess Amba. In thecourtyard of the Ambaji temple near Mount Abu, the Navratri festival is celebratedwith bhavai performances. Bhavai, according to some scholars, is made up of twowords bhava means universe and aai is mother; together, it means mother of theuniverse, that is, Amba. Subtle social criticism laced with pungent humour is thespeciality of bhavai. The pompous and incongruous behaviour of the high castepeople is scoffed at in bhavai. Probably the anger over injustice suffered by theoriginator of bhavai, Asaita Thakar, permeated the art of bhavai. Some of thebhavai plays present a scathing review of the caste- ridden social structure. Peoplebelonging to all levels of social strata are portrayed in bhavai.21

Terah Taali is performed by the Kamar (or Kamada) tribe. It is an elaborateritual with many elements of dance. It is generally performed by two or threewomen who sit on the ground. Man jiras, or smajl metal cymbals, are tied todifferent parts of the body, mostly the legs, and with a cymbal in either hand thedancer strikes these in rhythm. The head is covered with a veil, and at times asmall sword is clenched between the teeth and an ornamental pot balanced on thehead. The story of Ramdev Baba and poems of Kabir and Mirabai generally formthe themes of the dance and song.Ger dance of Mewar and Barmer is based on the Raslila as well as stories ofvalour. It is performed by men on festive occasions. The dancers carry smallcoloured sticks that are struck against one another in rhythmic patterns.Himachal PradeshIn Himachal Pradesh festivals like the Dussehra have special dances. TheGaddi shepherdesses dance the Charba. Dances of various festivities and springseason are Mahasu Thali, Jadda and Jhainta. The beauty of hilly Himachal finds anexpression in the languid and elegant movements that form a part of the Natidance. The dance matches the gentleness of the hilly breeze and the rhythmicswaying of trees. The dance is mainly a mime but also incorporates some abstractbut languid sequences. The Namagen dance is performed in September to celebratethe autumnal hues. Woollen costumes and richly studded ornaments of silver areworn by women.PunjabPunjab is the home of the energetic Bhangra with its infectious beats andcatchy tone. It catches the happy mood of a harvest well rapead. Bhangra is donewith classic style Punjabi dresses, and with instruments including a dhol, chimtaand tabla. It was originally danced during the harvest season, but now it is apopular form of celebration at any time such as weddings and festivals. Thecounterpart to the male bhangra is the giddha which is a female folk dance. It is anenergetic dance derived from ancient ring dancing that highlights feminine graceand elasticity. It is often accompanied by singing folk couplets known as boliyan.The other folk dances of Punjab are the Malwai Giddha, Jhoomer, Dhamalan,Dankre, Sammi, Dandass, Ludi and Jindua.22

Sometimes just for merriment a couple of women join the main dancer who usuallydances with a veil on her face. The two other variations of the Matki are the Aadaand Khada Nach.The Phulpati is exclusively for unmarried girls. It is a dance of the semiruralwomenfolk. During the Holi festival the revellers cannot restrain themselvesfrom coming out with some sort of dance movements to the uneven manipulationof drums. The Grida Dance is performed when the rabi crops sway in the fields infull bloom. It continues from morning till evening. The host village of one yearreturns the visit next year by going to the village of their guests of the precedingyear. The dance has three distinct phases: sela in which the feet movements areslow and comparatively rigid; selalarki in which the feet movements becomebrisker and faster; and selabhadoni in which, with the acceleration of the tempo,every limb of the body begins to sway in a mood of exaltation.Maanch is a lyrical folk drama and a form of operatic ballet popular in theMalwa region. Maanch means the stage or place of performance. The presentationstyle and technique of the Maanch, its various thematic elements, and suitablemusic and gaudy costumes all make it a unique dance. It is generally performed bymen from the artisan classes in an open space with the barest of theatricalequipment.ChhattisgarhIn Chhattisgarh, Gaur Maria dance is one of the important dances of BisonHorn Marias of Abhujmaria plateau of Bastar and it symbolises the hunting spirit.The dance imitates the movements of bisons. A joyful dance, it is basicallyperformed by men-and women together as an invocation on the occasion ofmarriages. The folk dance of the Satnami community is the Panthi which bearsreligious overtones. Performed on Magh Purnima, the birth anniversary of theirGuru Ghasidas, the dance is evolving still to include a variety of steps and patterns.The dancers dance around a jaitkhamb set up for the occasion, to songs eulogisingtheir spiritual head. The songs also reflect the Nirvana philosophy, conveying thespirit of renunciation of their guru and the teachings of saint poets like Kabir,Ramdas and Dadu. As the rhythm quickens, dancers with bent torsos and swingingarms indulge in acrobatics and even form human pyramids.25

Raut Nacha is a traditional folk dance usually performed byYadavs/Yaduvanshis (a caste which considers itself as descendants of Krishna) assymbol of worship to Krishna. It is done at the time of dev udhni ekadashi (time ofawakening of gods after brief rest), according to Hindu panchang (calendar). Thedance has close resemblance to Krishna‟s raas leela with gopis.Pandwani, as the name denotes, is the story of the Pandavas. It expresses in alively and elementary language, the stories of the Mahabharata, retold in theChhattisgarhi folk ballad style. There are two styles of narration in Pandwani,Vedamati and Kapalik. In the Vedamati style the lead artist narrates in a simplemanner by sitting on the floor throughout the performance. The Kapalik style islivelier, where the narrator actually enacts the scenes and characters. Teejan Bai,Paudwani performer from Ganiyari Village of Durg district, has contributedimmensely to popularising the Kapalik form in India and abroad. Bharthari Chai-itis a traditional folk ballad adopted from the book named Bharthari Chant whichdeals with the various stages of Raja Bharthahari‟s life—birth, marriage,renunciation and his tragedies. (This form is prevalent in Bihar and Rajasthanalso.) Chandaini is another form of traditional folk ballad prevalent inChhattisgarh. It is similar to bharthahari singing. A folk version sung by the Ahirsbecame the source of the Lorik Chanda legend.GujaratThe famous Dandiya dance of Gujarat is believed to have evolved fromDandani, the basic difference between the two is that in Dandari the artists useantlers of deer instead of sticks. While Gendi is the only dance form in India thatuses stilts, Sela is performed with wooden sticks or poles. The dances areperformed to the tunes of love songs in company of musical instruments like .thelabia, thali (plates) and bansuri (flute). The participants wear colourful costumes,ornaments and bright headgear. Karma is famous dance of Chhattisgarh, performedby both the Baigas and the Gonds.Other vibrant tribal dances of Chhattisgarh include Bhagoniya (performedduring the festival of Bhagoriya when the lord of dance is worshipped), Phag (asword dance) and Lola (a dance from in which women dance with a pot full ofwater on their heads).26

West BengalIn West Bengal the Kathi dance with sticks is famous. The wanderingminstrels enchant the people with Baul dances. The folk dance of Gambhiraoriginated in the Maldah in West Bengal. After the Partition of India, ChapaaiNawabganj in Rajshahi became the main centre of Gambhira. With time, thisdance has undergone many changes in terms of theme and style of its presentation.Muslims also became the custodians of the dance, and thereby it has become anintegral part of their culture. Gambhira comprises a few characters with dialoguesin an atmosphere of music. Its themes are contemporary social problems, fakenessand selfishness of people and so on.Kalikapatadi has been performed for about 500 years now. The main story ofthis Bengali dance form revolves around how Shiva calmed down angry Kali afterkilling Asura. The dance is performed before the coronation of Shiva on NeelpujaDay (Chaitra Sankranti). The green leaves of water hyacinth are used to make thehair of Kali and the black ash of ganja is used to decorate the body. Clay mask isused for Mahadeva. Palm leaves reddened with alta is used as the tongue of Kali.Participants go on fast for the whole day.Nacni is done by female performers who sing and dance professionally inrural areas. The dance is accompanied by male dhulki and nagara drummers.Alkap is a rural performance, popularin many places of West Bengal,especially in Rajshahi, Maldah and Murshidabad districts (as well as the RajmahalHills in the state of Jharkhand). This is associated with the Gajan festival of Shivaaround the middle of April. The beginning of this form was in the late nineteenthcentury. It has no written script, but has scenarios based on popular love stories,which the actors elaborate with extreme dialogues breaking up for songs, dancesand comic or satirical sketches called kap. It is a composite performancecomprising acting, dancing, singing and recitation. Each Alkap group consists often to twelve dancers, under the leadership of a sorkar or guru. The group includestwo or three chhokras (supporting characters), and one or two, lead singers calledgayen or gayok. Also, there remain dohars, the chorus called gayokdol andinstrumentalists called bajnadars. Alkap performances take place at night on anopen stage. Domni belongs to Maldah in West Bengal. The mool hayen (lead27

character/protagonist and chhokras) offer devotional prayers. The danceperformances of the chhokras are called Nachari or Lachari. The main charactersare the roles of husbands, wives, mothers, greedy moneylenders and peasant-girls.The plays are based on extracts from small events of everyday life and arepresented in a satirical manner. The musical instruments that accompany thedancer are harmonium, dholak, kartal, flute and so on. With changes in social lifeand popular taste/culture, this folk form is becoming extinct.BiharIn Bihar the rainy season is celebrated by women dancing the Jata latin.Bidesia is the most popular folk dance of Bihar people. The dance is said to haveoriginated in the 20th century. It is a folk theatre form that is prevalent in theBhojpuri-speaking regions of Bihar. Bhikari Thakur is believed to be the father ofthis dance style. He raised conflicting issues prevailing in society. Conflictingtrends between rich and poor, upper class and lower class, upper caste and lowercaste, and urban and poor dwellers were his themes. He used dance as a form toput his views among people.Biraha songs combined with dance become an effective medium. Bidesia is& dance version of Biraha songs. Biraha songs are portrayal of pain of the womenwho are left alone behind by their men, away from home. Males play the roles offemale in Bidesiya dance and for the purpose; they wear artificial long hair anddhoti. Despite the fact that many new modes of entertainment have come up,Bidesia still has its charm amongst Biharis.Another popular dance form of Bihar is Paika. The dance reminds us ofinfantry and its agility; courage, and excitement. The dance is popular particularlyin the Mayurbhanj region. A flat ground is essential for its, performance. Thisdance displays the skills and the ability of the dancers to handle these weapons.The dance reaches its climax with the fast beats produced by Mandal. Performerswear colourful turbans and tight dhotis and stand in two rows. Holding the woodenswords and shields in their hands, warriors engage in a fierce mock combat.Jhijhian dance is another dance style popular in Bihar. This is a ritualisticdance performed when the rains do not come and it aims at making the god of rainhappy. The dance accompanied by a song which is full of prayers to Lord Indra,28

the rain god. The participants of the dance include a lead singer, harmoniumplayer, a flute player, and a dholak player. The dance is performed by women.Kajari songs are basically sung during the monsoon season. The dance formcalled Kajari accompanies .these songs. The dance starts in the month of „Shravan‟or the starting of the monsoon season every year and lasts for the entire duration ofrain. These songs describe how wonderful the earth has become due to rain andhow happy and pleasant people are. These songs, combined with dance, showcasethe rich culture and tradition of Bihar.Jat-Jatin is the most popular folk dance of North Bihar, especially in Mithilaand Koshi region. Jat-Jatin is performed by emigrant husband, who goes to a faroffplace to earn a livelihood, and his spouse. Apart from poverty and sorrow, thisdance reflects a rainbow of the sweet and tender quarrel as well as somecomplaints between husband and wife. The folk mocks to comfort the hurdles oflife with a smile. Jumari dance of Bihar is similar to “Garva of Gujarat”.Specialised to the married women, it is a folk dance of Mithilanchal of Bihar. Afterthe month of Ashwin (September-October) comes Kartik. The sky is crystal clear;there is no cloud; it is a full moon spreading milky rays all over. Maids in love goon dancing, singing and celebrating the turns of the season. Domkach of theMithila region is performed by women on the occasion of weddings. The Karamaby the Kols and Magha by Hos tribals are the other famous folk dances of Bihar.JharkhandIn Jharkhand, there is the Alkap dance performed in the Rajmahal Hills.There is also the traditional Karma Munda dance which gets its name from theKarma tree which stands for fortune and good luck. The ceremony starts with theplanting of the trees. Dancers, both men and women, form circles around it anddance with their arms around each other‟s waists. As the drum beats get quickerand louder, the dancers gain momentum and generally end in an uproarious tumult.The Agni dance is a religious dance usually performed on the occasion ofBipu or Manda worship in Jharkhand. Jhumar is performed at the time of theharvest season. It shows a live demonstration of the happiness of the tribal people.Janani Ihumar is a popular dance performed by mainly the women of the region; itagain marks the harvest season. The dance is accompanied by song and music. The29

musical instruments used include mandar, dhol, kartal, bansuri and sarangi.Mardana Jhumar celebrates the harvest season. It is a major attraction at many fairsand festivals. It is performed mainly by men, wielding swords while dancing. Theoverall dance movements and the music have a martial flavor. The main stress ison portraying the valour of a man. The music for the Mardana Jhumar dance isprovided by loud instruments like the shehnai, dhol, nagara, jhanjh and kartal.Paika is a dance form where martial art is mixed with local dance steps. Thisdance form is only performed by the male members. Dancers are dressed withsafety chest plates and head gears for their protection Bells are tied on their ankleswhich accompany other musical instruments. This dance is accompanied by themelodious music of narsingha, shahnai, bheir, dhak and nagara drums. Theperformers reach the climax with the fast beat of the mandar. This folk dance isalso performed for welcoming guests during various functions.Phagua is a dance mostly performed by men during the time of Holi. Thedancers perform a series of joyous dance movements and throw colored water andpowder around as they dance. The dance is accompanied by a loud recital of folksong, which is called phag. The music is produced by huge drums (dhal).The Hunting dance of the Santhals who live in the hilly plateaus of theChotanagpur region of the Santhal Parganas of Jharkhand is called the HuntaDance. This powerful dance requires a lot of strength and vigour and is performedonly by men. The dance depicts the act of preparing for the hunt with bows andarrows, stalking the animal and killing it. Mime, slow strong stepping andmeasured movements is the distinctive features of this dance.The Mundari dance is a popular dance of the Mundaris. This dance isgenerally performed to celebrate the newlyweds. Munda songs are often mixedwith songs in other tribal languages. The similarity between Munda songs anddances and those of other constituent tribal groups in the culture of Jharkhand, liesin this form of group dancing, performed with the swinging of the dancers‟ bodieswith especially expressive mudras or gestural language. The movements of thedance are very repetitive.The Oraon community of the state, which is mainly concentrated in theHazaribagh-Goomla area, performs the Sarhul and Barao dances. Both men and30

women participate in the community dance. There are different songs and. dancesfor different occasions and seasons. The Barao dance is held during April-May.The community offers prayers to Mother Earth for a plentiful monsoon, so that agood harvest season may follow. A rich variety of songs are sung for the dance.Both men and - women perform the Jhitka and Danga dances that celebratedifferent feudal traditions. They are spontaneous expressions of joy and happinessand combine elements of reality and fantasy. The costume and headgear worn bythe dancers is similar to those worn by the Polka dancers.The Lahasuya songs and dances accompanied by rhythmic beats of themadol, are performed as a call for rain, if there a drought. Both men and womenparticipate in the dance.The Domkach is a distinctive folk dance of the Chotonagpur area ofJharkhand. The women of the bridegroom‟s family perform this ceremonial danceafter his baraat leaves for the bride‟s house. Through this dance, they keepthemselves awake and entertained. Moving in circles, they poke fun at each otherand crack jokes through satiric songs.Ghora Naach is performed during wedding ceremonies. Men wear loosehorse puppets around their waists and dance to the rhythms of indigenous folkinstruments.OdishaIn Odisha there are numerous dances. The Danda Nato (the Danda Jatra), isone of the most ancient forms of histrionic arts of the state. Associated withritualistic services, Danda Nato forms an institution of dance, music and dramaticsblended with religion, social reformation and an association of universalbrotherhood. Amounting to mainly worship of Lord Shiva, this theatrical formbrings into its fold a harmonious feeling of co-existence between followers ofdifferent philosophical doctrines, between political principles and sets of opinions.Ghoomra is a dance performed to the accompaniment of the ghoomra whichis a typical drum plad with both hands. It produces a peculiar sound quite differentfrom other varieties of drums. The dance begins fifteen days earlier to GamhaPurnima (full moon in September) and culminates on that night in a ceremonial31

performance. Young men of various communities fix a ghoomra each on the chestwith string and simultaneously dance and play. After a brief dance sequence indifferent rhythmic patterns all the dancers move in a concentric circle and thenstand erect in a line. Then enters the singer who first sings in praise of Saraswatiand other gods and godesses and then sings Chhanda, Chaupadi and other literaryfolk-songs. The Karma or Karain pastoral dance is performed during the worshipof the god or goddess of fate. It begins from Bhadra Shukia Ekadasi (eleventh dayof the bright moon of the month of Bhadra) and lasts for several days. This ispopular among the Scheduled Tribes (e.g., the Binjhal, feet long. They dance indifferent forms by striking the sticks according to the rhythms of the song. Theleader sings first and others follow him. The main theme of the song is derivedfrom the love story of Radha and Krishna. Animal mask dances are prevalent invillages of south Odisha especially in the district of Ganjam. Particularly duringThankurani Yatra, when the idols are taken out on the streets, the animal maskdancers dance before the procession. During the marriage ceremonies also, theylead the bridegroom‟s procession all the way to the bride‟s house. The three animalmask dances typical of the area are the tiger, bull and horse dances.Andaman and Nicobar IslandsIn Andaman and Nicobar Islands the dance of the Nicobarese is performedduring the Ossuary Feast or the Pig Festival. Dedicated to the departed head of thefamily, the occasion observed with night-long dancing in the full moonlight underthe swaying palms. The dancers dressed in coconut fronds step gracefully in timeto traditional songs. Feasting and good food followed by a pig fight in the morningare other highlights of the celebration.AssamIn Assam, the Bihu dance is a joyous dance performed by both young menand women. It is characterised by brisk dance steps, and rapid hand movement.Dancers wear traditionally colourful Assamese clothing. Dhol (drum), pepa (horn)and gagana are the musical instruments used in this dance. The Jhumur Nach of teagarden workers is performed by girls and boys together, sometimes by the girlsalone, with accuracy of footwork while clasping tightly each other‟s waist. Thisdance is performed to the music of a beating drum-like instrument called madal.32

The Bagurumba of the Bodo community is generally a formation dance withslow steps and outstretched hands. This dance is performed by girls alone intraditional colourful Bodo attire. This dance uses the Bodo traditional musicalinstruments. This dance can be seen in the Bodo land areas of Kokrajhar,Bongaigaon, Naihari, Darrang and Sonitpur districts.The Ali Ai Ligang of the Mishing community is a dance for making anoffering to the deities. This dance can be seen in the north-eastern part of Assam.Assam has its graceful Khel Gopal dance and the Tabal Chongbi danced at Holi.The Bhor Tol Nritya representing the Sankari culture has six-to-ten dancersequipped with cymbals performing to a fast-paced rhythm. It is performed duringfestive occasions. Deodhani is performed in honour of the snake goddess. Manasadancers rotate their heads in a circular fashion to imitate the motion of the snake.Women perform the dance. The kham or drum and the Ciphung or flute is playedin accompaniment.Arunachal PradeshThe dances performed by the tribes of Arunachal Pradesh can be dividedinto four types: ritual dances, festive dances, recreational dances, and pantomimesand dance-dramas. The Buiya dance is performed with the object of ensuringprosperity and health of .the dancers and their households. Chalo dance of theNocte tribe in central ArunachaI Pradesh is part of the three-day Chalo Bokufestival. Wancho dance of the Wancho tribe is performed on the occasion offestivals and ceremonies. Men and young unmarried women, including marriedwomen who have not joined their husbands‟ families, participate, adorningthemselves with decorative, items. The men have baskets hung behind them. PasiKongki is performed by the Adi tribes. Ponung is a dance of the Adi tribe. Ponungis part of the festival celebrated before the harvest. But it is performed on otherauspicious occasions as well. The dance performed by women is led by a Miri, aman adept in mythical songs about the origin of paddy and other crops. The Miri,sings in the centre, holding aloft and shaking a sword like music instrument calledYoksha.The Popir dance is performed in the festival called Mopin. Similar to thePonung and performed by the Galos and others, the dance is performed by young33

girls who wear white dresses and elaborate headgears. Rice wine or apong isserved. Bardo Chham is a folk dance of Sherdukpens, a small community of WestKarneng district. Bardo Chham depicts the victory of good over evil. The dancehas an interesting background. According to the local beliefs, both good and evilforces rule mankind. The folks believe that in one year, twelve different types ofstupid things, representing evil forces, appear each month and get together. TheSherdukpens mask themselves representing the different animals and dance to theaccompaniment of drums and cymbals as an act of fighting the evil forces.ManipurIn Manipur, Thang Ta is the art form exclusive to the state. Thang means„sword‟ and Ta means „spear‟. In this amazing display of the traditional art ofwarfare, performers leap and attack each other and defend themselves. Encouragedby the kings of the earlier times, Thang Ta is an ingenious display of skill andcreativity. The art has a ritualistic aspect with some movements of sword intendedto ward off evil spirits, while other postures indicate protection. All the danceforms of Meiti people are believed to have originated from Thang Ta. The DolCholam is a drum dance. The drum, by itself, enjoys a privilege in the dances ofManipur. There are several kinds of drums, each intended for a particular occasion.The festival of Holi, in spring, is the real time for drum dances. Lai Haraoba danceis a major folk dance of Manipur. The performers are the Maibis and Maibas saidto have been chosen by the gods. In this ritualistic dance to unfold the story ofcreation, the dancers make use of certain stylised hand gestures and bodymovements, but the face remains blank.Pung Cholom is a dance that demands acrobatic abilities and stamina. Thedancers themselves play the mridanga (pung) while executing the performance.Khamba Thaibi is performed in honour of the sylvan deity, Thangjing. The danceis performed either as part of Lai haoraoba or as an independent performance. Themale performers pick up their partners from the girls decked up with colourfuldresses along with flowers in their hands. This dance is a duet performancedescribing the story of a poor and brave lad of the Khunian clan of Khamba, whofell in love with Thaibi, a princess of Moirang. The Nupa dance, Kartal Cholom orCymbal dance, is performed in a group, by men. Soft, gentle and serenemovements are performed initially but it gradually gathers momentum. Generally,34

the Nupa dance acts as a prologie or an introductory dance to the Raslila dances,however, it can also be performed in connection with religious rites. The men wearwhite pheijom (dhoti) and snow-white ball shaped large turbans on their headwhile performing this dance. Khubak Ishel is performed during the Rathayatra. Thesong of Dashavatar is sung. Lhou Sha is a war dance performed at confrontationsbetween villages. It is a tradition of the Maring community. Though traditionallyperformed by men, it is now performed by women also.MeghalayaIn Meghalaya, dances are an integral part of the culture. Ku Shad SuhMynsiem is an annual spring dance that celebrates the harvesting and sowingseasons. Young unniairied girls and boys wear colourful clothes and jewellery andperform the dance with good cheer. The Nongkrem dance is part of the religiousfestival, Ka Pom-Blang Nongkrem. Unmarried girls decked well, with gold andsilver ornaments, and yellow flowers, dance forward and backward forming acircle. Men dance in a wide circle with a sword and a white hair whisk in theirhands. Ka-Shad Shyngwiang-Thangiap is a ceremonial affair that starts on the dayof the death of a person and concludes on the day when the last rites are conducted.The female dancers are supported by men who play music on flute, bamboo poleand drum. Laho dance, a part of the Behdienkhlam festival, is performed by menand women dressed in colourful garments. A girl linking arms with two boys oneither side perform this active dance. There are no musical instruments used; a manrecites couplets during the dance performances.MizoramIn Mizoram, the dances are performed during festivals. Drum and gong arethe main instruments used. Cheraw dance is a combination of rhythm and skill.Four people hold two pairs of long bamboos across one another on the ground. Asthe bamboo sticks are clapped together, the main dancers in traditional attiresweave patterns through them in time to the rhythm. Cheraw is a major attractionduring all festive occasions in Mizoram. It is believed to have a foreign origin assimilar dances are popular in the Far East and the Philippines.Khuallam or the „dance of the guests‟ is performed by, a group of males atthe Khuangchawl Ceremony. The Chailam is performed by men and women35

standing in circles during the Chapchar Kut festival that continues for a week ormore. The musicians are in the centre of the circle. Sawlakin is a Lakher dance thathas been adopted by the Mizos. A warrior begins the dance and he has to be onewho has hunted a man or an animal. The Pawi groups perform the Chawnglaizawnduring festivals and to celebrate trophies brought home by successful .hunters.Husbands, mourning the death of their wives, also perform the dance. TheZangtalam, the dance of the Paihte group, involves a lot of drum beats. Par Lam isperformed by girls dressed colourfully with flowers in their hair; boys play themusic for the dance. Sarlamkai/Solakia, a dance originating from the Pawi andMara communities in southern Mizoram, is part of a ceremony associated withtribal wars in the past. The ceremony was observed to ensure the vanquished soulremained a slave to the victor even after death. The warrior dance itself,commemorating victory in war, involves sounding of gongs, cymbals and drums,with their being no actual singing of songs. Tianglam is one of the most populardances of the state, performed by both men and women.NagalandIn Nagaland, the tribal dances of the Nagas include war dances of distinctivetribes. The Rangma and the bamboo dance are performed by the Nagas. Colourfulcostumes and jewellery are worn by the performers who perform mock warmotions. The Zeliang dance is performed by men and women in a circle. It is anartistic dance. There is stamping of feet to work the tempo, interspersed withclapping and chanting. The spear, duo or shield is swung to the rhythm of thedance. The Zemis of the North Cochar Hills district perform a variety of dances.The Nsuirolians (cock dance) is performed by men. It resembles the traits of acock. There are also the Gethinglim (cricket dance) in which hands are moved toand fro, resembling movement of the cricket; the Temangnetin (fly dance) andHetaleulee (bear dance) performed by men to celebrate defeating of enemies.Chang Lo or Sua Lua of the Chang tribe of Nagaland used to be performed tocelebrate victory over enemies earlier times. Now, it forms a part of all thecommunity celebrations, such as Poanglem, a three-day festival preceding theharvest season. There are dramatic costumes of traditional Naga warrior and fineryof womenfolk.36

TripuraIn Tripura, Hojagiri is a reflection of the age-old culture and the unique styleof dance of the Reang community. Only lower half of the body is moved to createrhythmic movements. Dancers performing amazing acrobatic feats is the mainhighlight of the dance. Reang girls twist and turn and dance in time to thecompelling rhythm, sometimes dancing on earthen pitcher or balancing a bottle onthe head with a lighted lamp on top of it.SikkimIn Sikkim, the Singhi Chham is a masked dance that depicts the snow lionwhich is the cultural symbol of the state and is a representation of the world‟s thirdhighest mountain Kanchenjunga or Khang-Chen Dzong Pa in Sikkim. The nativesperform the dance dressed in furry costumes. The Chu Faat dance performed bythe people of the Lepcha community reveres Mt. Kanchenjunga along with four ofits associate peaks namely Mt. Pandim, Mt. Kabru, Mt. Simbrum and Mt.Narshing. Believed to be the warehouse of five hidden treasures like salt, medicine,minerals, sacred books and food grains, these snowy peaks are honoured by thedancers carrying butter lamps and green bamboo leaves. Performed on the fifteenthday of the seventh month of the Northern Buddhist calendar, this ritualistic annualfeature is accompanied by devotional songs. Another famous dance of thecommunity is the Sikmari dance in which the youth celebrate love and the naturalscenery of the region.The Bhutia community of Sikkim performs Singhi Chaam or the Snow LionDance, which again pays homage to the sacred Mount Kanchenjunga and its fourassociate peaks. Yak Chaam performed by the Bhutias honors the yak, an animalthey are dependent upon for survival. This dance projects the simple life style ofthe herdsman in the mountains. Denzong Gnenha is another popular dance form ofthe Bhutias that depicts their astute faith in their gods and gurus along with thepeaceful and joyous nature of the community. Bhutia invoke good fortune andprosperity to themselves and their land by performing the Tashi Yangku dance.Nepalis of Sikkim perform the Khukuri Naach, a warrior dance that gives areligious touch to the sending off of the soldiers going to the battle. These warriorsare given a khukri to be carried with them as it signifies victory Chutkey Naach is37

very popular. Young Nepali boys and girls usually perform this dance in the openair during harvest, local fairs and festivals. Maruni dance is the oldest and the mostpopular dance of the Nepalis in Sikkim. Though associated with the Tihar festival,it has now come to be performed on other occasions like marriage.Commemorating the victory of good over evil, the dancers in this dance aredressed in colourful costumes and magnificent ornaments. Accompanied by the„Dhatu Waray‟ (clown), the dancers visit the nearby houses. A nine-instrumentorchestra known as „Naumati Baja‟ also accompanies them at times.Tamil NaduIn Tamil Nadu, Kamandi or Kaman Pandigai is celebrated to commemoratethe Puranic event when Manmada, the god of love, was burnt to ashes by Shiva inanger. The villagers separate themselves into two parties as Erintha katchi andEriyatha katchi and a heated debate ensues. Kaman and Rathi, his consort, are themain characters in this dance. Devarattam or „the dance of the gods‟ is the dance ofthe Kambala Naikar community of Tamil Nadu. Fast and fluent movements to therhythmic sound of deva thunthubi—a drum-shaped percussion instrument—makethis dance truly enjoyable. The dance is performed during festivals, marriages andother social occasions.The womenfolk of Tamil Nadu have three closely related dances, which canbe performed at any time but are seen at their best during festivities. The simplestof these is the Kummi, in which the dancers gather in a circle and clap their handsrhythmically as they dance. As an extension to this is the Kolattam, where insteadof clapping, the participants hold small wooden rods in their hands and strike thesein rhythm as they dance. The Pinnal Kollattam is a dance round a maypole inwhich intricate patterns are woven by the dancers who move in a circle clappingeach other‟s hands. The temples are the setting for the Karagam dance in whichbeautifully decorated kalashas are balanced on the head while dancing. Kavadi isanother religious dance. In Karagattam or Karagam the villagers praise the goddessMan Amman. In this dance, the performers balance the water pot on their headvery beautifully. Traditionally, this dance is performed in two ways. AattaKaragam is c danced with decorated pots on the head and symbolises joy andhappiness, while the Sakthi Karagarn is performed only in temples and is mainlydanced for entertainment. In the Karagam dance intricate steps and body arm38

movements decide the skill of performer. This dance can be performedindividually or in pairs, by both men and women. Some of the steps that are widelyused are similar to the circus acts: dancing on a rolling block of wood, or up anddown a ladder, threading a needle while bending backwards and many more.Mayil Attam or Peacock dance is done by girls dressed as peacocks,resplendent with peacock feathers and a glittering head-dress complete with abeak. This beak can be opened and closed with the help of a thread tied to it, andmanipulated from inside the dress. Other similar dances are Kaalai Attam (dressedas a bull), Karadi Attain (dressed as a bear) and Aali Aattam (dressed as a demon)which are performed in the villages during village get-togethers. Vedala Aattam isperformed wearing a mask- depicting demons. Paampu Attain or snake dance is yetanother typical speciality of the southern region. It is usually danced by young girlsdressed in a tight-fighting costume designed like the snake-skin. The dancersimulates the movements of the snake, writhing and creeping, at times makingquick biting movements with head and hands. The raised hands held together looklike the hood of a snake. Oyilattam, meaning „dance of grace‟, was traditionally adance where a few men would stand in a row and perform rhythmic steps to themusical accompaniment, with the number of dancers increasing; over the past tenyears women have also started performing this dance. Typically, the musicalaccompaniment is the thavil (drum) and the performers have colouredhandkerchiefs tied to their fingers and wear ankle bells. Puli Attam is a folk danceof early Tamil country. This dance forms „a play of the tigers‟. Normally theperformers make movements of the majestic tigers: Their bodies are painted bylocal artists in vibrant yellow and black to resemble a tiger. The music instrumentsused are tharai, thappu or thappattai. It is performed during temple festivals on thevillage streets. Poikal Attam refers to the dance of „false legs‟. Here dancers areattached to a dummy horse at the waist. Instead of 4 legs of a horse, only 2 legs ofthe person with the prop on his body is present: The image is similar to a rider on ahorse. The themes often relate to „Raja Desingu‟——a once- popular Rajput rulercalled Tej Singh who invaded areas all the way upto Tamil Nadu.Andhra PradeshIn Andhra Pradesh, the Thapetta Gullu is the dance form of the Srikakulamdistrict of Andhra Pradesh. In this dance, more than ten dancers participate, singing39

songs in praise of the local goddess. The drums are hung around the necks of thedancers to produce varied rhythms. There are tinkling bells around the waist of theperformer which form the distinctive part of the dancers‟ costumes. Popular inSrikakulam and Vijayanagaram districts, this is a devotional dance which invokesthe rain god with its vigour, rhythm and tempo.Butta Bommalu is a typical folk dance popular in West Godavari district.Butta Bommalu literally means basket toys which are made of wood husk, drygrass and cow dung. The dancers wear masks of different characters and entertainpeople with their delicate movements accompanied by nor.- verbal music. Dappu isa lively dance form that started in the Nizamabad district. In it, a tambourine-likedrum is beaten with sticks creating a rhythm that is softened only by the ankle bellsthat the dancers wear. The dancers wear colorful dresses and, dance to the musicaltunes of cymbals, tabla and harmonium. The themes of the songs are usually basedon the mythological stories. Chindu Bhugavatham is a lively dance of theNizamabad district in which performers in colourful make-up and even costumesdance to musical patterns set by cymbals, tabla and harmonium.The Lambadi dance, performed by the Banjaras, a semi- nomadic tribe, isassociated with daily tasks like harvesting, planting, sowing etc. The folk festivalof Bonalu in the Telangana region brings with it celebrations which havecolourfully dressed female dancers balancing pots (bonalu), dancing to rhythmicbeats in obeisance to the village deity Mahankali. Dhimsa tribal dance is generallyperformed in local fairs and festivals of Araku Valley in Vishakhapatanam district.Women form a chain and dance attired in typical tribal dresses and ornaments.They dance to the beat of instruments like mori, thudurn and dappu played by themen.Burrakatha, earlier called Jangam Katha, is a folk dance in which the mainartist narrates a story. The co-artists beat drums and speak to him, enriching certainevents in the story that is narrated. Perini Thandavam is a dance of warriors.Performed by men in front of Lord Shiva, it is accompanied by drum beating.Bonalu is a special dance wherein the female dancers step to the rhythmicbeats and balance pots on their heads. This dance is performed to praiseMahankali, the village deity Potharajus, the male dancers, precede the female40

dancers to the temple. Kolattam (or Kolainnalu or Kolkolannalu) is the stick dance,which is quite similar to the Dandia dance of Gujarat. It is usually performed whenfestivals are celebrated in the village. Kolattam observes a great combination ofrhythmic movements, songs and music.KeralaKerala is the home of the Kaikottikali which is performed by girls andwomen at Onam. Airukali and Tattamakali are performed by men at temples.Padayani, or Padeni, in colloquial speech, is one of the most colourful andspectacular folk arts associated with the festivals of certain temples in southernKerala in Aleppey, Quilon, Pathanamthitta, and Kottayam. The word padayaniliterally means military formations or rows of army, but in this folk art we havemainly a series of divine and semidivine impersonations wearing huge masks orkolams of different shapes, colours and designs painted on the stalks of areca nutfronds. The most important of the kolams usually presented in a Padayaniperformance are Bhairavi (Kali), Kalan (god of death), Yakshi (fairy) and Pakshi(bird). The kolam consists primarily of a huge headgear with many projections anddevices with a mask for the face or a chest piece to cover the breast and abdomenof the performer. The whole performance, consisting of the dancers or actors whowear the kolams, the singers who recite a different poem for each kolam, and theinstrumentalists who evoke wild and loud rhythm on their simple drum calledthappu and cymbals, takes the form of a procession of Kali and the killing of theasura chief Darika.Elelakkaradi is a highly heroic group-dance in which almost the wholecommunity participates. The dance is very common with the tribals called Irular ofAttappadi in Palakkad district. The dance represents the fight of the people againstthe wild bears which very often attack their hamlets. Here the dancers move inrhythmic steps, with vociferous shouts and war crimes, and keep time to thebeatings of the primitive drums.The Kaadar Nritham is the dance of the women of the Kaadar tribes of theforests of Kochi area. The performers arrange themselves in a semicircle. Theyhold the tip of their clothes in their hands to the level of the waist and wave it tovarious rhythms of the dance. It is an elegant tribal dance in slow steps.41

The Kurumbar Nritham of the Wayanad district is a dance of different typesof hill tribes of which the Kurumbar and the Kattunayakar are the most prominent.They perform a special type of dance which is staged in connection withmarriages. Before marriage, the members of the families of both the bride andbridegroom and after marriage the newly- wedded couple perform this dance. Afterthe return of the bridegroom with his bride to his family, air the members of hishousehold and the newly-wedded again repeat the-dance.The Kaanikkar Nritham is a group dance of the Kanikkar tribes. The danceis performed as a ritual offering. The steps of the dancers perfectly synchronisewith the waving of the hands and the beating of the drums.Paniyar Kali dance of the Paniyars inhabiting the hilly forests of Wayanaddistrict is a dance performed only by men. Here the dancers dance in a circle withhands linked together. They move around with rhythmic flexions of the body andwhile moving stomp the ground in perfect rhythm to the loud beat of the primitivepercussion instruments (karu, para, udukku). The dancers utter peculiar cries whichgradually mount to a high pitch.Mankali is a tribal dance performed to the rhythm of wild percussion instruments.It involves enactment of either the Ramayana episode in which Sita is enchantedby Maricha in the guise of a golden deer or a scene in which one man takes the roleof a deer while another, that of a hunter. Koorankali, like Mankali, is a tribal dancein which a man takes the role of a wild bear with another enacting the role of ahunting dog. The movements are perfectly timed to the rhythmic beats of primitivedrums.Parvallikali is a mixed dance of the aboriginals of the dense forest of theTravancore area. Men and women dance holding arms together, or shoulder toshoulder, linked in a back-lock posture. The dance develops into a variety ofpleasing patterns, in which the dancers change their positions with speed whilemoving in a swift rhythm in a circle.Mudiyattom, or Neelilyattom, is a tribal dance performed by women.Standing on small wooden blocks, they make slow and simple movements whichculminate in graceful movements of the head. The instruments used in the danceare karu, maram, para and kokkaro. Thavalakali is a „tribal dance performed by42

usually boys who jump one above the other in succession, imitating the leaps of thefrog.Edaya Nritham is the dance of the tribal shepherds that involves imitatingthe special sounds of shepherds driving their sheep. The dance consists of personstrying to imitate the wild animals that try to attack the sheep and the thief who triesto rob them while the other dancers bring out the terror on the faces of the lambsand their mournful wailings.Naikkar Kali is popular among the tribes in Wayanad and Malappuramdistricts. It is ritualistic as it is performed as pooja to deities and during marriages.Instruments like thappu and kuzhal are used. The Naikars begin their performance,dancing round in clock-wise and anticlockwise movements to the accompanimentof the instruments.Gadhika, performed during Mithunam which falls in June-July, is a ritualdance performed by Adiya tribes of Wayanad district. The art form is meant tocure ailments and ensure a safe delivery of the child. Lord Shiva is invoked. Theprayers are in a strange dialect—with a pronounced Kannada diction. Dancersdressed in colourful costumes include men dressed as women whose function is towelcome the gods and goddesses arriving in response to the summons from Siva.The participants go to houses from where they have received invitations, conductrituals, collect the oblations and offer them to gods.LakshadweepThe dances in Lakshadweep resemble those of Kerala due to its historicalpast. A renowned folk dance form is Lava dance. A riot of colors and a highlycharged dance, it is particularly performed in the Minicoy Island of Lakshadweep.The costumes of Lava dance performance are multi-hued. The dancers carry adrum and dance to the rhythmic beats of drums and accompanying songs.The Kolkali dance (or the stick dance) is performed with kols or sticks. Theperformers comprise only of men. Kolkali is danced in pairs and the pairs move incircles to the rhythmic beat of sticks. The performers hold these special sticks intheir hand and use them as props while dancing. The dance begins with a slow43

pace but slowly as the time passes the rhythm becomes fast and ultimately reachesthe height of frenzy. The dancers dance in a variety of alignments.The Parichakali dance is a popular dance form. This „shield dance‟ (parichareferring to a shield) involves use of swords and shields. These are, however, madeof very soft wood. A martial art form, the dance resembles fighting. Brave warriorsand freedom struggle are common themes. The dance usually involves dualcombats and bravery is honoured in this Lakshadweep dance form. Theperformance is accompanied by songs. What slowly begins as a slow danceincreases to culminate into a highly energetic dance.KarnatakaIn Karnataka, the Bhootha Aradhane dance is widely performed in the coastalareas. The Bhootha Aradhane or devil worship includes a procession of idolsdepicting devils. This procession is characterized by the beating of drums andbursting of firecrackers. After the end of the procession, the idols are placed on aplinth. Then, a dancer personifying a devil dances around the plinth with swordand jingling bells. The dancer dances vigorously at one point of time and thenslows down, signifying that he has become now a possessed person.The ritualistic dance form of Ragamandala performed between Decemberand April belongs to the people of south Karnataka. It is performed to tranquilisethe serpent spirit. It is an extravagant affair held throughout the night. The dancers,„Vaidyas‟, are dressed as nagakannika and they dance around a huge figure, drawnon the sacred ground with natural colours, in a pandal specially erected in front ofthe shrine.Dollu Kunitha is a folk-dance performed by men and women of the Kurubacommunity of Northern Karnataka (particularly Shimoga and Chitradurga). It isperformed to welcome the harvest season. However, it can also be arranged tocommemorate a wedding, the birth of a child or even a burial or funeral.Traditionally performed at the temples of Bireshwar, the themes were religious andwere known as the „Halumatha Purana‟ or the „Kuruba Purana‟. However, it hasbeen used to propagate government schemes and programmes including adulteducation and literacy programmes in recent times. The performance is a mode ofentertainment intended towards the spiritual well-being of the performers and the44

spectators. It is performed by men and women either in separate groups ortogether. It makes use of the dollu, a specialised drum that is struck with fingersand produces a loud sound like a thunder when struck (hence the name for thedance). There are stylised dances accompanying the sonorous beating of the drums.The dancers form a semi-circle and involve in extremely swift and sinuousmovements.Puja Kunitha is a popular ritualistic folk dance of Karnataka performed toworship the cult of the Shakti around Bengaluru and Mandya districts in particular.Despite the distinct religious overtones of the performance, the dance enjoys wideappreciation because of its grace and colourfulness. It is distinctive in its use ofbamboo pole which are decorated with colours and clothes of different hues andrhythmically swayed in time with the music. Elaborate wooden structures areplaced on the heads of the dancers which carry the deities to whom the dances arededicated. The characteristic gentle swaying rhythm of the dance is performed tothe accompaniment of traditional music produced by various musical instruments.It is extremely colourful and visually delightful. Visual splendour is emphasised atthe expense of elaborate oral narration. The dance is performed profusely inreligious processions, fairs and festivals. With its pomp and elegance, it creates anaura of high spirituality among the performers and the spectators.Pata Kunitha in Karnataka is a popular folk-dance form extremely popularamong the inhabitants of the Mysore region. Its original significance is primarilyreligious. It is an extremely colourful dance form and provides great visual delight.The emphasis is on the rhythm and the skill of the dancers. It is preformed mainlyby men. It employs the use of the pata, which are primarily long bamboo polesdecorated with colour ribbons. A silver or brass umbrella usually crown the poles.The dancers are extremely skilled in manoeuvring the long bamboo poles. Thedancers manipulate the poles with great dexterity and to the accompaniment of alargely rhythmic music. It is widely performed in the rural religious gatherings inthe villages of the state. Along with Beesu Kamsale, it is the most popular folkdance form in the Mysore region of the state.Beesu Kamsale is a vigorous dance form that employs a great blend ofaesthetic sublimity and martial dexterity. It is mainly performed in the districts ofMysore, Nanjagud, Kollegal and Bengaluru. The dance narrates the glory of Lord45

Mahadeswara Shiva and the performers are vowed to a lifelong allegiance to thegod. The name kamsale is derived from the musical instrument used in theperformance. The Kamsale is hit in rhythm with the songs which typically aretaken from the Mahadeswara epic exalting the glory of lord Mahadeswara. UsuallyKamsale is performed by a group of three-to-five dancers, although the number cango up to twelve. The tribesmen of the Kuruba clan who perform these dances areprimarily martial. Therefore, the sheer artistic value of the dance is mixed withintense martial manoeuvrs. The Kamsale is often skillfully manipulated torepresent intricate offensive and defensive manoeuvrs.Gorava Kunitha is a unique form of ritualistic folk dance in Karnataka. It isrevered among the Shaivite cults of Karnataka. It is typically performed by groupsof ten-to-eleven men. They, usually belong to the singing tribe of the Goravas. TheGorava fairs are usually venues for the performance of Gorava Kunitha atKarnataka. In this dance, dancers clad in rug dresses of black with white patches,with damaru in hand, get into a procession intoning mystic song. The songs aresung to the accompaniment of small bronze bells and flute-like blowinginstruments. The dance usually involves trance-like movements, hi its northernvariant, the dancers smear their heads with yellow pastes.MODERN DANCEWhen we talk of modern dance, we imply a movement trying to seek newforms,, liberating itself from strict classical norms, synthesizing different styles,choreographing socially relevant themes and using the sound and light effectsmade available by technology Perhaps the name of Uday Shankar is irrevocablyassociated with the modern dance style of India. He drew from classical as well asfolk idioms of India besides Western stage techniques to evolve a style uniquelyhis own. His Culture Centre in Almora, Uttarkhand drew numerous disciples.Shanti Bardhan, Sachin Shankar and Amala Shankar carried on experimentation inmodern dance. Ananda Shankar, son of Uday and Amala Shankar, hasexperimented with combining Eastern and Western music and freeing naturalmovements in dance forms. One cannot ignore Anna Pavlova when one considers„modern dance‟ in India. It was she and Uday Shankar who drew attention toIndian dance and costumes through the duet Radha Krishna and Ajanta Frescoes.46