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The Jhika-Dasain is a form of worship dance practiced by the Santal tribe to train young men of the community in the art of acquiring spiritual powers to dispel the influence of the evil spirits. The training lasts for several days but the occasion when the spiritual powers are attained is rejoiced with night long Lagren dance in which women also participate.
A few days before Dassera this dance is performed. It is prohibited to sing even any part of the songs accompanying the dance and to perform it after Dassera. There are five different kinds of dances which come under Jhika-Dasain. In every land the idiophone Jhika dominates, hence the name. The other musical instruments played with the dance are : Madar, a cylindrical drum, Nagade, a hemispherical single face drum, and Jhal, the cymbals. Musicians also wear straps of jingle bells as cross belt. The dance is performed before every house in the village and it is customary for the housewife to offer some grains to the dancers, which are finally sold for purchasing necessary materials for worshiping the goddess Manasa and the guru.
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