THE FOLK MUSIC & DANCES

( Imbibe the colorful spectrum of Rajasthan )

Get engrossed in the cultural fiesta and dazzling performances of jubilant skirt-swirling dancers, the awe inspiring fire dance (Chari), spell binding bhawai dance performances (that includes unbelievable balancing acts with pots, glasses, and sword), flower dance, peacock dance and the spectacular fireworks that light up the clear and stark sky.

Today the spirit of romantic and heroic exploits of famous Rajput warrior-kings continue to echo in the golden sands of Rajputana in the people's folklore, music and dance.

The shimmering sands and contoured desolation of the Thar Desert have cradled from centuries the old folk tradition of the people of Rajasthan. The brightness and the legends of its heroism and romance are all captured in the vibrant and evocative music and sensuous dances of this desert land. Folk dance & music of Rajasthan, which is rich, evocative, sumptuous and joyful, comes from a tradition that holds love and romance as a very important aspect of life.

Singer of the cadence Charan, Bhat, and Bhopa communities used to sing in royal courts, often in praise of the King. Communities like the Kamads of the Pali region sing devotional songs of Lord Ramdev, often accompanied by the Terahtaali dance.

An inseparable part of folk music, folk instruments adds the ever so important rhythm, melody and resonance to the folk dances and the vocal performances. Some folk instruments are hundreds of years old in style and are comparable to the classical music instruments in quality of music. Every instrument is still made and played according to same tradition and passion.

String instruments like Sarangi, Rawanhatha, Kamaycha and Bhapang add haunting melody to the music. Percussion instrument like Dholak, Nagara, Chang and Dhap add the rhythmic beat to joyous music.

A variety of wind instruments complete the multitude of folk instruments which include, Algoja, Satara, Murla, Nad, Poongi and Shehnai. And then there are instruments like Kartaal or Morchang (Jewish Harp) that are unique additions to the great repository of folk instruments as they are unlike any instruments found anywhere in the world.

Rajasthan's popular dances include:

The dance is performed for the entertainment of the bridegroom's marriage procession. Dancers while elaborate costumes that resemble them riding on dummy horse. A vigorous dance, it uses mock fights and the brandishing of swords, nimble sidestepping and pirouetting to the music of fifes and drums. A ballad singer usually sings the folk tunes of Rajasthan.

One of the most sensuous dance forms of Rajasthan, performed by the women folk of Kalbeliyas, the snake charmers community. The sapera dancers wear long, black skirt embroidered with sliver ribbons. As they spin in a circle, their body sways acrobatically, so that it is impossible to believe that they are made of anything other than rubber. As the beat increases in tempo, the pace increases in such a pitch that it leaves viewer as exhausted as the dancer.

A tradition of puppeteering has long existed in Rajasthan. It uses the ballads, retold in the voice of the puppeteer. Puppets are strung on the stage and recount historic anecdotes, replay tale of love and include much screeching and high pitched sounds as the puppets twirl and move frenetically.

Women tied to various parts of their body are thirteen cymbals, which they strike with the ones they hold in their hand. Their hands perform various arabesques while they do this and for effect, they may also balance pots on their hands and hold a sword in their mouth.

One of the state's most spectacular performances, it consists of veiled women dancers balancing up to seven or nine brass pitchers as they dance nimbly, pirouetting and then swaying with the soles of their feet perched on the top of a glass or on the edge of the sword. There is sense of cutting edge suspense and nail biting acts in the dance.

Gathering water is part of everyday life of women of Rajasthan. The women go many miles to collect water for their families and their joy is reflected through the Chari dance. Dancers choreograph deft patterns with their hands while balancing brass pots on their heads. The performance is made more picturesque with the flames from cottonseeds set alight, so that the bobbing heads create streaks of illuminating patterns as they move effortlessly around the floor.

There are several variations to this picturesque dance form that is performed by both men and women. The men wear long, pleated tunic that open out into full length skirts as they move first in clockwise then anti clockwise directions, beating their sticks to create the rhythm when they turn.

It uses simply, swaying movements to convey the spirit of any auspicious occasion. There is, however, an amazing grace as the skirts flair slowly while the women twirl in circles, their faces covered by the veil.

It is a dance ballet of Lord Krishna and his beloved Radha as per Hindu mythology and other dancers.

In this dance the dancers fasten bunches of peacock feathers behind at their waists which look like peacock tails and this is spread fully exactly in the manner as done by peacock while dancing thus portray dancing peacock with elegance and beauty.

The dancers form a circle and bend forward from their knees so as to look like dancing peacocks; they look like peacocks dancing joyously in a circle.

This dance celebrates the advent of spring in full spirits in the land of sand dunes.

The ghoomar is a group dance and is one of the legacies that they passed on to the Rajput royalty. In this dance the ladies, dressed in resplendent voluminous skirts, move smoothly and gracefully in circles. The accompanying songs are sung alternately by both men and women, as the dancers move both clockwise and anti-clockwise. The effect of the free play of the folds of the ample and colorful skirts is dazzling.

A dance of women akin to the ghoomar is the panihari. The performers carry earthen pots and dance with slick movements of the hands and feet. Women dancers pirouette gracefully and their Ghaghras (skirt) flare out in a blaze of color and movement.

Ghoomar, Bhavai, Kachhi Ghodi, Chari, Kalbeliya, Gair, Kathputli and Terahtaali are some of the most famous Rajasthan dances.