Folk Dances from Orissa

Bhaktas

September 30, 2014 by Gauri Jog Leave a Comment

The trance dance connected with the Chaitra Parba, as celebrated in Mayurbhanj of Orissa and in Seraikela of Bihar, is totally different from the trance dances covered earlier. The well known Chhau dances are also performed as another part of the Chaitra Parba. In the lunar calendar Chaitra, corresponding to March/April, is the last month of the year. The last day of the month falls on 13th April. The Indian New Year begins from 14th April. The last 15 days of the month of Chaitra is celebrated as the Chaiira Parba both by the tribal as well as the non-tribal communities. The tribal celebrate it in a different way. The celebration of non-tribal communities has several components,. The performance of Chhau dances on the last two days of the month is one of the components. The way the Bhaktas, a special kind of Shaivite devotees, observe the Parba is another component. The Bhakas belong to the caste of Teli (oilman) which is a lower rung of the caste ladder. Thirteen hereditary members of the Teli caste observe the Parba in quite austere manner for about 15 days. On the first day they perform a ritual to belong to the Shiva gotra (Lineage). From that day they wear sacred threads like the Brahmins till the end of the Parba. They take only one meal a day and perform some rituals daily in the afternoon after taking ritual bath in a river. The rituals of the last four days are extremely arduous. After taking the ritual bath the Bhaktas go to the temple of mother goddess and from there to the place of the ritual. Their leader goes into trance and shakes his head rhythmically to the beat of the drums. Then they roll on tough thorns but their bodies do not show any prick mark of the thorns. This is called Kanta-paat. The next day they do the same rituals but lastly they walk on burning coke. It is called nian-patt. Next day the last ritual is called jhoola-paat in which the Bhaktas, one after another, hang themselves upside down over burning fire. The last day ritual is called udaa-paat. in which the devotees gyrate high above the ground tied to a T-shaped pole. The leader while gyrating releases a pigeon which he would be holding with both hands. This release of the pigeon is the symbol of the release of the soul from the Maya.

There is yet another trance dance connected with the Chaittra Parva. On the 26th Day of the month of Chaitra an earthen pot filled with water is brought out in a procession. The pitcher is called Jatra-ghata. The bearer of ghata (pitcher) goes into a trance and dances to the music provided by Dhols, the barrel-shaped drums, and Mahuris, reeled wind instruments. There is yet another pitcher that the Bhaktas bring at midnight to the arena where chhau dances are being presented. This pitcher is called Nishi (night) or Kamana (desire) ghata. The symbolism of pitcher filled with water has been discussed under the ritual dance named Karagam. Here also the symbolism is the same. When the Bhakfas with the Nishi-ghata come to the Chhau stage, the orchestra plays a particular tune and the Bhaktas dance with simple typical stepping for a while. It is believed that the Nishi ghata sanctities the Chhau stage. Both the ghata and the face of its bearer are painted red with vermilion mixed with oil. In Tantrik rituals while vermilion represents the menstrual blood which is the symbol of the creative energy of the female principle, the sandalwood paste represents semen the symbol of male force that makes the creative energy functional. The creative energy is spread from procreative to artistic creativity. The Nishi ghata painted red with vermilion symbolizes the blessing of the mother goddess for richer artistic activity.

Hemant

September 29, 2014 by Gauri Jog Leave a Comment

In southern Orissa, the Paraja tribal community of Koraput district perform the autumn dance called Hemant. The autumn includes two seasons : Sharat, comprising two lunar months of Bhadrava and Ashwina and Hemanta comprising the next two lunar months of Kartik, and Margasheersa. Thus the autumn is spread over a period from the later part of August to the later part of November. The Hemant dance is performed on the festival called Nandi Parva that is held in November. It is also danced only by women. The accompanying songs are known as Nandi songs. Musical instruments used with this dance are : Dhol, Nishan, Tamak, and Mahuri, the reeded wind instrument.

Dalkhai

September 29, 2014 by Gauri Jog Leave a Comment

In the western part of Orissa, especially in the districts of Sambalpur and Phulbani, the Dalkhai dance is performed to celebrate the autumn. It is associated with a ceremony known as Bhaijauntia which is observed by the women wishing longer life of their brothers. According to the custom prevalent in western Orissa, all the married daughters come back to their parents’ house before the Bhaijauntia that falls on the eighth lunar day of the bright fortnight of the month of Ashwin (September/October). The sisters wishing long life and prosperity of their respective brothers go with a new earthen pitcher to a stream or a river and fill the pitcher with sand from river bed. A twig of the Mahua tree is put on top of the sand. The pitcher is taken to the temple of Mahamai (the supreme mother goddess). Offerings are made to the goddess playing her to bless the brothers. While the mother goddess is being worshiped inside the temple, Dalkhai dance is performed outside. The dancers, while dancing, sing tuneful Dalkhai songs in the Sambalpuri dialect. The musical accompanists are all men. The songs, besides describing the beauty of the season, are love songs. The musical instruments used are : flute, Dhol, Nishan, a bowl shaped drum decorated with two deer horns and Timki, another smaller bowl shaped drum. Although the ritual is performed only on the first day, the dance is performed till the full moon night that comes after seven days.

Jadur

September 29, 2014 by Gauri Jog Leave a Comment

Like many tribal communities, the Oraons of Chhota Nagpur region of Bihar perform dance to celebrate each of the seasons. They perform Karma dance during the rains, Boroya dance during the autumn, Soharai just before the winter, Kharia during spring and Jadur, on the threshold of summer towards the end of February and beginning of March. Both men and women participate in the Jadur dance. For the musical accompaniment the instruments used are : Mandar and Dholak, both drums with two faces; Turhi, a straight trumpet; Jhanj, the cymbals; Theska, a wooden idiophone; Soynko, a circular iron rod attached with jinglebclls and shaken rhythmically.

Baa Parab

September 29, 2014 by Gauri Jog Leave a Comment

The Santhal and Ho tribal communities living in Orissa, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh, celebrate the Baha or Baa Parab in February/March when the Sal trees are in bloom. Parab means festival. It is the most important festival for the Santhals and Hos. The region where the two tribal communities live is full of dense forests of tall Sal trees. They use the wood and leaves of the Sal trees for various purposes. Therefore, they admire the Sal trees which are in blossom with the advent of the spring season. Baha or Baa in the tribal dialect means flowers. On the day the festival begins, the village priest called Diuri offers Sal flowers to the presiding deity of the village along with the sacrifice of a fowl. During the offering, the ritual is performed strictly according to the tradition. After the ritual, the young girls go to the forest to collect Sal flowers. They offer the flowers to their brothers as a token of love and affection. It is similar to the tying of rakhi by the girls of non-tribal communities, especially in North India. After the offering of flowers the dance is performed. The girls and the boys stand in two files, facing each other. While dancing, the two files come closer and separate alternatively according to the rhythm. Dances are performed in as many as ten different rhythmic cycles, namely, Saar, Baa, Racha, Jape, Ghanguriya, Gaudua, Daonria, Gena, Jadur and Khemta. Some of the rhythmic cycles are influenced by the-non-tribal music of the region. The drum that rules the dance is called Mandar, a conical drum with two faces. The melodic content of the accompanying music is provided by Basni the bamboo flute.

The Munda tribe of Bihar also celebrate the Baa Parab. The tribes are very meticulous about the festival. The songs and dance performed at the festival are never performed at any other time. They will not touch the Sal tree or use its leaves for about one month before the festival. They are so particular that they will not even touch the water of a pond where by chance a Sal flower falls before the ritual of the festival.