Community/Group and Social Dance Songs of Uttarakhand

Classification of folk dance song of Uttarakhand Garhwal – 7

[“गढ़वाल के लोक नृत्य गीत” डॉ शिवानन्द नौटियाल द्वारा लिखी हुई एक महत्वपूर्ण पुस्तक है। इसी पुस्तक की समीक्षा श्री भीष्म कुकरेती जी द्वारा की गयी है। इस पुस्तक समीक्षा को एक श्रंखला के रूप में प्रकाशित कर रहे हैं। इस श्रंखला के माध्यम से आप उत्तराखंड-गढ़वाल के सांस्क़ृतिक परिदृशय से भी परिचित होंगे।- प्रबंधक]

पहला भाग, दूसरा भाग, तीसरा भाग , चौथा भाग, पांचवां भाग, छ्ठा भाग

B -Samuhik aur Samajik Nrityageet (Community/group and social dance-songs)

There are certain classes in Uttarakhand-Garhwal which wander from forests to forests in search of grass for their cattles. They wander with their animals from one place to other places. They have their own dance-songs suitable to suit their situations.

Bhotantik Nrityageet

Bhotiyas live near the border of Tibet in Uttarakhand-Garhwal and they are of Tibetan genes.heir main dance-songs are:

Dandyala Nritya: Unmarried males-females take part in these dances-songs. This dance-song is similar to Chaunfula. The songs are the subjects of praying to deities/goddesses, descriptions of nature and love.

Ranbankuri Nritya: This dance-song is of two kinds, one is purely related to love and there is vocal battle between female and male to win over each other’s love or to find out the nature of would be partner. Another is chivalry dance-song.

Thadiya Nritya: This dance-song is perfomed in circle and separately by men and women. The songs are as :

Lokpal phulon t gahti , yad gait bhulpang ma rati

Ghangharya susu yan chadhai, lokpal swarg sainti

Pauna Nritya: The Pauna dance-song is the favorable most dance-song of Bhotiyas. This dance-song is performed at the procession of marriage party by baratis on the way and at the place of bride and groom too. The dance-song of Pauna is somehow Saraun nritya of Uttarakhand-Garhwal.

Humani -Huma Nritya: Humani-huma dance-song is very attractive love oriented dance-song and performed by males and females together and is entertaining for the performers and audience too.

Dhuring Nritya: There is obvious reflection of Tibetan culture and art on Dhuring dance-song. During dance is performed to avoid devilish souls . There are many styles of Dhuring performances. An example of song is as:

Udi pothuli , pothuli riti jali baj. Bal budya whaige ramnagar ko raja

Thali ghoti kansi kansi, bal buddo hwage buddu Rampur de fansi

Dance-Songs of Jaunlsar-Bhabar, Rawain and Jaunpur

This tribal area comes under western Dehradunn Uttarkashi and Tihri Uttarakhand-Garhwal districts. Dr Nautiyal provided descriptions of geography and social structure of different tribes in these areas.

Sayna Dance-Song: The sayana dance-song of Jaunsar (western Dehradun) is with love song and very effervescent dance. Male-female dance in half circle . The females take thalis (metal plate) on their fingers and dance with males. The initial lines of dialogues oriented song are:

Ek dhara de goru bakari, duje dhara de ghodi,

teri meri bal dostiyan, kunpapiyan todi

Baradi: Baradi dance is similar to Sayna danc e except that it is performed in Magh month and dancers take wine before and while dancing. And is more agile and aggressive than Sayna

Jhainta or Judda: Judda is a group dance of females and males and is very subtle in dance sequences.

Geet lagna: In this dance, there is outer circle of male dancers and females dance in inner circle and in the middle there are musicians and singers.

Gandiyaras or Thura dance: This dance is similar to pandon and talwar dance of Uttarakhand-Garhwal and performed by males only.

Ade-Pade: This like Chanchari dance of Uttarakhand-Kumaun-Uttarakhand-Garhwal border regions.

Dances of Gaddis

Gadds means shepherds and this community roams here and there . This community is migrants of Himachal Pradesh. The gadis perform following main dances :

Jhanjhoti dance: Females perform this artful, exciting, enthusiastic, oscillating dance and music is also exciting and entertaining.

Prexani dance: Prexani dance is also performed by females and there is reference of love, appeasing, teasing, humor, pride of beauty etc in the song and dancers perform according to the reference of the song.one example is :

At buddu na deno chachua, deni chachua, sajar chude rand bhuchaga halo ho

Cha chakar jo na deni chachua, deni chachua, hal pande uthi gahadne ho

Nat-Nati dance-song: Somehow this is similar to badi-badan dance-song of Uttarakhand-Garhwal and is lot of humor in dialogues and performances.

Natarambh Nritya: Natarambh dance is the initiation of love dance-song.

Folk Dance-Song of Khadwals

Khadwal means the shepherd . Their life was depending on the sheep, goats . Mostly their dances are as Uttarakhand-Garhwali dances except the subjects and variations in dialects as :

Gaucherie paitanu khadalu, khadu kanduli ko denu

Tatu kochhu ku havsityun bharalu, kai k kochhdiya senu

Or

Chhd pyari tatu ki sagulti, chhod pyari siran ko hath

Bhed mera bagh marlu, that’d bidai naigi rat

The Folk Dance-songs of Kinnars of Malani river bank

Kinnars are supposed to be the original Uttarakhand-Garhwali and their history goes to Vishwamitra, menka, Shakuntala, Dushyant and Bharat . Kinnars say that they are descendents of apsara (nymph) Menka . They live near bank of Malani river (Bhabhar) and now assimilated with Uttarakhand-Garhwali community. They could be identified only when they show their dance-songs of Kinnar heritage. They are different than Badis and badans of Uttarakhand-Garhwal. Kinnars dance on eaxh song. Dance of Uttarakhand-Garhwal and many times, create songs for their exclusive dance styles. Dr Shrinidhi Shidhantalakar studied deeply Kinnars of Uttarakhand-Garhwal and wrote book on them. “ Malni Ke Banon men” . An example of song is as:

Gadi jali kool,gadi jali kool

Ithur fyunli tu ikhuli na phool

Pa ki cha mithai

Nirmohi fyunli tu kaiki chhe pithai

Folk Dance-Songs of Gujjars

Gujjar are a type of gypsies and they depend on buffalos and caws by selling milk to people of Uttarakhand-Garhwal.

Their dances are of four types:

1-Dance in circle

2-Dance in half circle

3-Dance opposite of each other

4-Free dance

Book Details
Uttarakhand-Garhwal Ke Lok Nritya Geet
By Dr Shiva Nand Nautiyal
Published by :

Hindi Sahitya Sammelan
Prayag, Allahabad, Uttarapradesh, India
Year of Publication : 1981