Mashaal Raas: Jamnagar’s fire dance that makes Navratri nights vibrant with energy and devotion

The troupe has been performing Mashaal Raas for the community for the past two decades in Jamnagar city of Gujarat. The troupe of 12 dancers, selected from about 80-odd dancers who train at Garbi Mandal for two months before Navratri each year, has to not only be adept enough to dance with flaming torches in their hands, but also learn how to expertly jump over burning cotton balls inundating their circle without breaking lockstep to the beat and with the rest of the group.

For 35-year-old Hardik Jaman Thummar, who started the Mashaal Raas tradition, it is the embodiment of his faith in the goddess. “The goddess takes many forms, among which one is that of wrath. So we thought that this was a way to show our faith. If we have faith in Mataji, then anything is possible. It is not superstition, it is faith,” Thummar told The Indian Express.

He stressed that there has not been a single major injury to any dancer in the two decades since he started the tradition of Mashaal Raas. “We don’t use any lotion or anything of that sort. And the dancers are on the ground itself, and you can see if they are burned or not. In 20 years, there hasn’t been a single case of injury,” he pointed out.

The Shri Patel Yuvak Garbi Mandal has been extant for over 80 years in Jamnagar, and new members of the Patel community join and exit the troupe over the years, but only the 12 male dancers are selected to perform the Mashaal Raas during the nine days of Navratri.

On the routine of the Mashaal Raas, Thummar said, “It includes only 12 male dancers, and we make the formation of the swastika as well as trishul, which is the weapon of the goddess. Then lastly, we dance on burning cotton balls.”

When asked about how he came up with this type of raas, he said, “I tried dancing on burning cotton balls and found that it was possible to do so without burning the feet. We tried one year, practised the second year, and brought it to the stage in the third year by which time we had a full complement of 12 people,” said Thummar, who owns a brass auto parts business in Jamnagar.

Asked why it has just 12 dancers, he said, “We have a swastika or sathiya formation which has four arms and there are only 3 people to an arm, and so we need to have 12 people”.

Hardik, at the age of 35, is not just one of the oldest dancers in the troupe but is also the choreographer. He has been dancing since he was eight years old and was introduced to the troupe by an uncle. “The dancers in the troupe are between the ages of 18 and 35 years. We have had several generations of dancers from the same family, as well as first-time dancers.”

Explaining the duration to perfect the routine for Mashaal Raas, he said, “It is dependent on how much time it takes to take control of the dance and how to use the torches. Usually, they skip the first year and can perform the next year.”

Talvar Raas, Dantarda Raas and Kanbi Raas also part of festivities

The troupe also performs Talvar Raas, in which 14 dancers perform with swords. Thummar explained, “There have been no injuries till now. The day there is an injury, we will stop it ourselves. Once an injury takes place, fear will be instilled in the minds of both the person who gets hurt and the one by whom it was caused. Secondly, as their teacher, I will lose confidence in giving swords into people’s hands”.

The troupe also performs Dantarda Raas with sickles and Kanbi Raas, which is the traditional garba of the farming community in Saurashtra.

With time for a last-minute practice, Hardik Thummar places a whistle between his lips, picks up two mashaals, and enters the ring of fire.