Folk dances of India

Folk dances of India

"Dance is one of the way of expression yourself"

What is Folk Dance?

• A Folk dance is a dance developed by the people that reflect the life/lifestyle of the people of a certain country or region.

List of Fold dances of different parts of India

Folk dances of North India 

1.  Jammu & Kashmir 

1. Rouff
2. Dhamali
3. Hikkat 
• No musical instrument was played during its performance
4. Dandaras 
• It is mostly performed during Lori festival.

2.  Punjab 

1. Gatka 
• It is a Sikh martial art dance performed by Nihangs.
2. Bhangra 
• It is usually performed during Baisakhi.
3. Giddha

3.  Haryana 

1. Loor 
• It marks the spring season and the sowing of Rabi crops and hence it is usually performed during Holi
2. Saang
3. Khoria dance
4. Phag dance

4.  Himachal Pradesh 

1. Chham 
• During its performance, dancers dressed up as monsters. 
• It is usually performed by Buddhist monks.
2. Kullunati 
• It is performed during the New Year.

5.  Uttarakhand 

1. Hurkiyabaul
2. Chholiya 
• It is a war dance.

6.  Uttar Pradesh 

1. Charkula 
• It is performed on the 3rd day after Holi, the day on which Radha was born.
2. Khyal
3. Ras Leela

Folk dances of North-East India 

1.  Mizoram 

1. Khuallam
2. Cheraw  
• It is a bamboo dance
3. Chailam

2.  Meghalaya 

1. Ka Shad Suk Mynsiem 
• It is an annual spring dance.

3.  Assam 

1. Bihu 
• It is performed during Bihu festival to mark the advent of Spring season and Assamese New Year.
2. Bardaichikhala 
• It is performed to welcome Monsoon. it is performed by Bodo tribe of Assam.
3. Deodhani
4. Baikhu 
• It is performed during Baikhu festival.

4.  Nagaland 

1. Aoling-Lokpu 
• It is a male dance of Konyaks, a Naga tribe.

5.  Arunachal Pradesh 

1. Khampti
2. Lion and Peacock dance

6.  Tripura 

1. Bizu 
• It is a distinctive dance of Chakma community.
2. Lebang Boomani 
• It is a harvest dance.

Folk dances of Eastern and Central India 

1.  Bihar 

1. Jhijhian 
• It is performed when there is no rain. 
• It is a ritualistic dance performed to please rain god Indra.
2. Chhau 
• It is a mask dance that uses vigorous martial art movement.
• In 2011, UNESCO added it in the list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
3. Jat Jatin
4. Launda dance

2.  West Bengal 

1. Gambhira
2. Baul
3. Gajan

3.  Jharkhand 

1. Santhal dance
• It is performed by the Santhal tribe of Jharkhand.
2. Paika dance
• It is performed by the Munda community.

4.  Sikkim 

1. Yak Chham
• It is performed by Bhutia community.
2. Singhi Chham
• It is also known as Snow Lion Dance.
3. Maarooni

5.  Chhattisgarh 

1. Saila dance
2. Soowa Naacha
3. Karma

6.  Madhya Pradesh 

1. Matki
2. Badhai

7.  Odisha 

1. Gotipua dance
• It emerged from the ruins of Devdashi tradition.
• Gotipuas were the young boys dressed as girls, who performed this dance.
2. Ghumra dance

Folk dance of Western India 

1.  Rajasthan 

1. Ghoomar or Jhumar
• It is performed on 'Teez'.
• It is a characteristic dance of Bhil tribe.
2. Kalbeliya
3. Fire dance
• Fire stunts were performed in this dance.
4. Kachhi
5. Chari
• It is performed by Gujjar community.
6. Gair
• It is a tribal dance of Bhils.

2.  Gujarat 

1. Hallisaka
• It is mentioned in Harivamsha Purana.
2. Garba
• It is performed during Navratri to praise Goddess Amba/Durga.

3.  Maharashtra 

1. Dhangari Gaja
2. Dindi
3. Koli dance
4. Lavani dance
5. Povadas dance
• It is presented in the form of Marathi ballads to describe the life events of Shiva Ji Maharaj.

4.  Goa 

1. Dhalo
2. Dhangar
3. Fugdi
4. Ghodemodni
5. Dekhni

Folk dance of South India 

1.  Kerala 

1. Thullal
• It is usually performed in the premises of temple during the festivals.
2. Mudiyetta
3. Oppana
4. Theyyam or Koliyottam
5. Thiruvathirakali

2.  Tamil Nadu 

1. Karagattam
2. Kummi
3. Mayilattam
• It is a peacock dance.

3.  Karnataka 

1. Dollu Kunitha

4.  Andhra Pradesh 

1. Andhra Natyam
2. Barrakatha
3. Veeranatyam/Veerangam/Veerabhadra Nriyatam

5.  Telangana 

1. Perini Shivatandavam
2. Lambadi

Folk dances of Union Territories

1.  Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu 

1. Tarpa dance
2. Bhawada dance

2.  Andaman & Nicobar 

1. Nicobarese dance

3.  Puducherry 

1. Garadi

4.  Lakshadweep 

1. Kolkali
2. Parichakali

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Note - This is my Vision IAS Notes (Vision IAS Class Notes) and Ashutosh Pandey Sir's Public Administration Class notes. I've also added some of the information on my own. 

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