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Popular
Dances:
Ghoomer, Gair, Kucchi Ghodi
Tribal Dances: Walar, Gowri
An
exposition of stillness of the desert evening and the
upsurge of life in the short-lived rainy season or spring
are filled with rhythmic dance found in almost limitless
variations in Rajasthan. The colourful people of Rajasthan
live life to the hilt. After hard work in the unrelenting,
harsh desert sun and the rocky terrain, they seek a respite
from their exhausting work by letting themselves enthrall in
gay abandon. Their evocative and soulful music provides the
perfect accompaniment to their vigorous and unsophisticated
dancing.
Simple, spontaneous, dancing is seen in their fairs and
festival in the ‘kudakna’ of the ‘meena’ boys, the
dancing, which goes with the ‘rasiya’ songs of ‘Braj’,
and the dancing by women and men where the women carry a pot
or a lighted lamp on their head. In the ‘charkula’ dance
of ‘Braj’, an elaborate lampstand replaces the single
lamp.
THE POPULAR DANCE FORMS
GHOOMAR
This is basically a community dance for women and performed
on auspicious occasions. The famous ‘ghoomar’,
Rajasthan’s popular dance gets its name from ‘ghoomna’,
the graceful gyrating, which displays the spectacular
colours of the flowing ‘ghaghra’, the long skirt of the
Rajasthani women.
GAIR
The ‘gair’ of Mewar has inner and outer circles of
dancers who move diagonally or loop in and out. It is
intricate and fascinating. The ‘gair’ of Jodhpur is
performed in a single file and martial costumes are worn for
effect. The ‘geendad’ of Shekhawati is similar. Sticks
or swords are often used in male dances, and the Shekhawati
dance has the ‘daf’ accompanying it.
THE KUCCHI GHODI
Free dancing full of zest, with rows of dancers waving
colourful pennants makes the Bam Rasiya of the Braj region
spectacular. It is performed at Holi. The ‘Kucchhi Ghodi’
or dummy horse dance is performed on festive occasions, by
men who are as colourfully attired, as are their horses.
TERAHTALI
The ‘terahtali’ is a fascinating dance performed by
women, while sitting. The women have ‘manjeeras’ (little
brass discs) tied with long strings to their wrists, elbows,
waists, arms and a pair in their hands as well. Their male
accompanists sing and play the ‘tandoora’ while the
women, with dexterous and fine movements, create a strong
rhythm with the ‘manjeeras’. For added effect, they may
hold a sword between their teeth or balance pots or lighted
lamps on their heads.
KALBELIA
The dance of the kalbelia women is vigorous and graceful.
THE FIRE DANCE
An authentic fire dance is performed by the ‘jasnathis’
of Bikaner and Churu districts. The accompanying music rises
in tempo as the dance progresses, ending with the performer
dancing on brightly glowing embers, which is a breathtaking
and deeply impressive sight.
DRUM DANCE
This is a professional dance-form from Jalore. Five men with
huge drums around their necks, some with huge cymbals
accompany a dancer who holds naked sword in his mouth and
performs vigorously by twirling three painted sticks.
THE
DANCING TRIBALS
Music and dance are such an essential part of tribal life
that professional musicians and dancers are profuse. The
‘garasia’ tribals inhabit the Abu Road and Pindwara
tehsils of Sirohi district and the neighbouring territories
of Kotra, Gogunda and Kherwara tehsils of Udaipur district;
Bali and Desuri of Pali district. They have folklore
enriched with folktales, proverbs, riddles and folk music.
WALAR
Walar is an important dance of the ‘garasias’ which is a
prototype of the ‘ghoomar’ dance. The beats of the ‘mandal’,
‘chang’ and a variety of other instruments, which
provide a lively rhythm to their dance sequences, generally
accompany their dances.
GOWRI
The most famous ‘bhil’ dance is the ‘gowari’, a
dance drama. Troupes of these dancers go from village to
village for a month, during which the nine functionaries
follow a strict regimen. The main characters are Rai Buriya
Shiva, his two ‘Rais’, and ‘Katkuria’, the comic
handyman. Between the enactment of various episodes, the
entire troupe dances around a central spot consecrated to a
deity. A ‘madal’ and a ‘thali’ accompany the dance.
The ghoomar is the characteristic dance of ‘bhils’. Men
and women sing alternately and move clockwise &
anti-clockwise giving free and intended play to the ample
folds of the ‘ghagra’.
The music of the primitive group of ‘sahariyas’ (Sourias)
of Shahbad, Kota, shows Central Indian links, with their
songs speaking of Ram and Sita. The fairs of the
‘Meenas’ had a lot of free dancing, which is
unfortunately on the decline.
Vibrant, zealous, graceful, serpentine, lugubrious and
martial, the dance and music of Rajasthan evoke the desert
in all its moods. It is the most lilting tribute to the
spectacular beauty, the pulsating sinuousness and the brutal
harshness of the landscape, and to the hardiness and heroism
of the people who live in this 'Land of the Kings' |
