International Dance Day 2023: Here are 5 lesser-known folk dance forms of India

As such, Indian folk dances need our dire attention. Folk dances are performed for every possible occasion–to celebrate the arrival of seasons, the birth of a child, weddings and festivals. Each folk dance has a specific costume and rhythm.

“These dance forms need to be recognised as they speak for our tradition and diversity,” said Prof Ashish Khokar, dance critic and historian.

Here are 5 folk dances of India which are lesser-known, according to the experts:

Laho

Laho hails from the cool, green Meghalaya’s Jaintia hill region. It is an integral part of the Behdienkhlam festival, which is held annually to invoke divine blessings and to get rid of bad spirits. It is famous among the Pnar tribal community in Meghalaya. The synchronisation and harmony of the dance are noteworthy. Instead of musical instruments, a man recites couplets during the performance. Both men and women take part in the dance and wear colourful costumes and jewellery. This folk dance is also popular among the Harp tribe of the state but is called a different name, Wangala Dance.

Kud

Kud dance is a folk dance from Jammu, performed by the Dogra community after the harvesting of crops is finished. It is a ritual to thank the Gram Devta or village deity for protecting crops. The steps are quite simple and men, as well as women of all ages, enjoy the dance. The men wear kurtas and churidars, along with a turban, and the women wear Salwar Kameez. The lively beats of drums, flutes and trumpets accompany the dance.

Puli Vesham

Dancers performing Puli Vesham. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Puli Vesham or Tiger Dance is performed in the Andhra region during Dussehra and Muharram festivals. It is a one-man dance where the performer wears a narrow strip of cloth around the waist, and has the whole body painted with stripes, sporting a long tail, dancing vigorously in tiger-like strides and jumps. The rhythm is provided by a Dappu or Mridangam.

Bhootam

As the name suggests, the dance is performed to ward off evil spirits. This is very common in the coastal cultures of Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. It has animistic elements and is ritualistic in nature. Only male dancers perform it. The extensive preparations before the actual performance and the coconut and palm leaves used for costumes, call for patience and perseverance. The performance takes place in front of idols of the village deities, usually carved out of wood and painted in bold colours.

Gotipua

Dancers performing Gotipua. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

The Gotipua dance from Orissa is one of the precursors of modern-day Odissi which was recast in the middle decades of the last century by a triumvirate of Gurus who merged diverse local dance traditions into a single mono-aesthetic. The dance is executed by a group of boys who perform acrobatic figures inspired by the life of Radha and Krishna. The historic village of Raghurajpur in Odisha is known for its Gotipua dance troupes.

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