Folk Music and Dance of India

Brihaddeshi was the first text that speaks about rāga and distinguishes the music genres into Marga Sangeet (Classical Music) and Desi Sangeet (Folk Music).

Important Folk Music of India

• Uttarakhandi folk music had its root in the lap of nature. The pure and blessed music have the feel and the touch of nature and subjects related to nature. The folk music primarily is related to the various festivals, religious traditions, folk stories and simple life of the people of Uttarakhand.
• Lavani is a popular folk form of Maharashtra. Traditionally, the songs are sung by female artists, but male artists may occasionally sing Lavanis.
• The dance format associated with Lavaniis known as Tamasha.
• Bhavageet (literally ’emotion poetry’) is a form of expressionist poetry and light music. This genre is quite popular in many parts of India, notably in Karnataka.
• Pandavani is a folk singing style of musical narration of tales from ancient epic Mahabharata with musical accompaniment and Bhima as hero. This form of folk theatre is popular in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh and in the neighbouring tribal areas of Orissa and Andhra Pradesh.
• Naatupura Paatu is Tamil folk music. It consists of Gramathisai (village folk music) and Gana (city folk music). It is also sung in Rajasthan
• Rajasthani Folk Music: Traditional music includes the women’s Panihari songs, which lyrically describe chores, especially centred around water and wells, both of which are an integral part of Rajasthan’s desert culture.

Important Folk Dances

Gaur dance

Gaur means Bison, and in this dance, the dancers mimic the movements of a ferocious bison such as charging, tossing of horns, hurling wisps of grass into the air etc. This dance is performed in the Bastar district of Madhya Pradesh.

Pandavani Dance

Pandavani dance and music is a folk singing style of musical narration of tales from ancient epic Mahabharata with musical accompaniment and Bhima as hero. It is a folk dance of Chhattisgarh. Teejan Bai is a known Pandavani artist.

Chhau Dance

Chhau means a mask. Chhau dance probably originated as a martial art and performers, apart from a mask, hold swords and shields and performing vigorous movements and leaps. This is a popular dance in Odisha, Bihar and Bengal. The stages are decorated and brightly lit by torches, lanterns and flickering oil lamps. The musical instruments used are the Dhol, Nagara and Shehnai. The themes often revolve around mythological heroes and warriors from the Mahabharata and Ramayana.

Jatra Dance

Jatra dance is a folk dance of West Bengal & Bangladesh. The name literally means ‘going’ or ‘journey’. It is performing art combining acting, songs, music and dance. The dance form developed from ceremonial functions conducted before setting out on a journey such as the processions brought out in honour of various deities.

India is a multifarious country of different types of people with different languages, cultures, beliefs, habits, religions, traditions and rituals. Folk music is also diversified because of India’s vast cultural diversity.

Due to its rural connections, folk music has its own importance in the contemporary India. Folk music is a rustic reflection of the larger Indian society. It is genuine and it may not have strict rules and is part of the basic human society.

Folk music is very different from classical music. Unlike classical Indian music which is bound by certain laws and restrictions having a definite standard and scales, the folk music is not bound by laws or any set pattern. With flexibility in its expressions, it has different forms depending on the region it belongs to. Folk music has its peculiar expressions and emotions and has established a tradition of its own.

Classical music can be effective only if the musician renders the raga in its various stages and moods. The emotions in classical music are expressed through a particular raga, though the lyric or composition has its own importance. However, this is not the case with folk music.  In folk music, the musical notes have less value and the poetic content has greater impact and rhythm plays a very important rule. Folk music is borne out of the heart of the common man which does not lay down any rules^.

Bihu Dance

Bihu is a popular folk dance of Assam.  It is an integral part of the Bihu festival in April when the harvesting of crops is over. Young men and girls perform the Bihu dance together to the accompaniment of drums and pipes.

Love forms the subject matter of the songs that are sung during the performance. The dances are performed in circles or parallel rows.

Bidesia, Bihar

It is a popular form of dance drama prevalent in the Bhojpuri-speaking region of Bihar. Bhikari Thakur is believed to be the creator of these dramas. It dealt with many social issues, contradictory topics & conflict between the traditional and the modern, the urban and rural, and the rich and the poor.

In Bidesia, the female roles are also played by the male actor-dancers. The plays and style of theatre is very popular for their rhythmic language, sweet songs and appealing music.

Jat-Jatin Dance, Bihar

It is one of the most admired folk dances of North Bihar (including the Mithila and Koshi region). It is normally performed in a couple. The original theme of the dance explains the story of the lovers Jat and Jatin, who were separated and living in difficult situations. But now through many social situations are also discussed like natural calamities situation like droughts and floods. Many socially concern topics like poverty, sorrow, love, all find its expression in this dance.

Jumari Dance, Bihar

It is a folk dance of Mithilanchal of Bihar. It is somewhat similar to garba and only married women perform it. As many other rituals that are performed by married women, it also signifies a good omen. It is usually performed in the beginning of karthik month as per the Hindu calendar. At this time, the sky is crystal clear. This creates Maids in love go on dancing, singing and celebrating the turns of the season.

Paika Dance, Bihar

The word `paika` is believed to derive from the Sanskrit word `Padatika` which means the infantry. Therefore, the name of the dance is Paika (battle) dance. The Paika dance is performed with employing shield and sword. It is a dance of martial character.  In the dance performance, skills & ability of the dancers in handling sword and shield is displayed. The dance reach at the climax with the fast beats produced by `Mandal`.

Cheraw Dance

Cheraw is also known as Bamboo Dance. It is a folk dance of Mizoram, in which the dancers move by stepping alternately in and out of the pairs of horizontal bamboos. Thus, a grid of bamboo poles is an integral part of this dance. The performers tap the bamboos open and closed in

They tap the bamboos open and closed in rhythmic beats.  The dancers step in and out of the squares formed by the bamboos with ease and grace.  The pattern and stepping of the dance resemble the movements of birds, swaying of trees

Dumhal Dance

Dumhal dance is performed by the men folk of the Wattal tribe of Kashmir. This dance is performed with long colourful robes, tall conical caps. Dumhal dance is accompanied by songs which the performers themselves sing. Performers of this dance place a banner into the ground at a fixed location. They begin to dance around this banner.

Kariyala

It is a popular art form of Himachal Pradesh. The plays celebrate local traditions of dress, worship, and morality, by telling stories of ordinary life using a range of familiar characters. Music, dance, and satirical humour enliven the performances, which sometimes last all night.

There is also a religious element with a chorus that sings praises to the gods. This form of shows present sharp and pungent satires about the bureaucracy and social issues very boldly.

Namagen

In Himachal, the Namagen dance is performed for the celebration of the autumnal hue in the month of September. The most striking dance performance amongst these is the Gaddis. The costumes that are used in this dance are of woolens and women wear richly studded ornaments of silver. The dancing steps & rhythm of the dance is wonderfully mixed with each other. Drum plays an important part in this dance performance.

Bhangra Dance

Bhangra is a form of dance-oriented folk music that has now evolved into a pop sensation. It is the folk dance of the agriculturist class of Punjab. Traditionally this dance is associated with the harvesting season and was performed on a full moon day. People sing Boliyaan (lyrics or couplets) in the Punjabi language. Dhol is an integral part of Bhangra. Bhangra has eventually become a part of social occasions including weddings

Gidda Dance

Gidda is a female counterpart of the Bhangra, performed by women and girls.

Langvir Dance

Langvir nritya is a folk dance form of Uttarakhand. The acrobatic dance movements are performed only by males.Dancer climbs a pole and balance himself on his navel on the top of the pole. To the accompaniment of drum beats and music, he balances skilfully and rotates on his belly, performing several acrobatic stunts.

Padayani

This dance is performed in Southern Kerala and is associated with the festival of certain temples, called Padayani or Paddeni. One can easily identify this dance by the size of the huge mask (Kolams) used by the performers. The dance is performed traditionally in Bhagvati temples. Such temples are in Alleppey, Quilon, Pathanamthitta and Kottayam districts.

Dollu Kunitha

This folk dance is performed in Karnataka state. Large drums are adorned with colored clothes and hang around the necks of men. The songs used in this dance usually have religious and battle fervour. The main emphasis is on quick and light movement of the feet and legs.  The Dollu Kunitha dance forms a part of the ritualistic dances of the Dodavas of Karnataka.

Dhimsa

This dance is popular among the tribes inhabiting the Araku Valley region of Vishakhapatam, in Andhra Pradesh.

Garba and Ras

Dandiya is a form of dance-oriented folk music that originated in Brindavan and became popular in western India. These songs sung in honor of Hindu goddesses and gods during Navratri. It is sung in the honour of god Krishna, hanuman, ram etc. This dance form is actually the staging of a mock-fight between Goddess Durga and Mahishasura, the mighty demon-king.

Difference between Garba and Ras

The main difference between Garba and Raas is that Raas is played with Dandiyas (pair of colourfully decorated sticks), while Garba consists of various hand and feet movements. Sometimes instead of sticks, people also use “Swords”. The circular movements of Dandiya Raas are much more complex than that of Garba. The Dandiya Raas dance originated as devotional Garba dances, which were performed in Goddess Durga’s honor. This dance is also nicknamed ‘The Sword Dance’. The sticks of the dance represent the sword of Goddess Durga.

Ghoomar Dance

Ghoomar is a folk dance of Rajasthan and is characteristic dance of the Bhils. It is a community dance performed by groups of women on auspicious occasions. The name is derived from the word ghoomna (pirouetting).

Kalbelia Dance

Kalbelia dance is performed by the womenfolk hailing from the Kalbelia (Snake charmers) community in Rajasthan. They pursue the centuries-old profession of catching snakes and trading snake venom. The dance movements and the costumes have an uncanny resemblance to the slithery creatures. Kalbelia dance has been included in UNESCO intangible cultural heritage list.

Bhavai Dance

In Rajasthan, this spectacular dance form consists of veiled women dancers balancing nearly seven or nine brass pitchers as they dance dexterously, pirouetting and swaying with the soles of their feet perched on top of a glass or on the edge of a sword.

Khayal Dance

It is amongst the most famous dances of Rajasthan. The themes for the dance are derived from the great Hindu epics i.e. the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. These dances are performed by the Bhawai caste. Thought to have been originated from the Jats, these Bhawai castes perform the Khayal dance on heredity basis. They enact these dance-dramas and have numerous ballets; some of which are humorous and depict the comic characters of `baniyas`, barbers and moneylenders with bitterest satires. Women do not participate in Bhawai dances.

Rasdhari Dance:

It occupies an artistic middle ground between Rasalila and Khyal  dances of Rajasthan. It is closer to the latter with its combination of entertaining dance, song, and dialogue. It started as a community activity expressing devotional joy and later the troupes became professional and the performances started serving as their livelihood.