The enthralling state of Rajasthan is a place of many mysteries. From it’s inspiring scenic landscapes to jaw-droppingly beautiful architecture, the states offer various activities for travelers to enjoy. For some it is the perfect place for a destination wedding, for others, it is an opportunity to explore and discover. Backpackers, holidaymakers, or couples looking for a romantic voyage, there is one place every kind of traveler wants to visit and that’s Rajasthan. However, one of the most thrilling experiences that the States can provide is not in ancient architecture or the spectacular landscapes but in the culture. More specifically, the folk dance of Rajasthan.
A tradition that has been preserved since the ancient ages, the folk dances in Rajasthan are one of it’s priced possessions. These dances are more than just movements, they are a celebration of the chronological tribal culture that, once upon a time, ruled the state. Every city, town, and the village of Rajasthan has a folk dance of Rajasthan, distinct from the other. Some provide a sense of harmony and peace while others exciting you and leave you bewitched. Today, we will be looking at some of these famous dances of Rajasthan that are dangerous, exciting, and nail-biting. Get your hearts on and let’s begin.
- Bhavai
A dance of patience and sheer love for the art, the dance form Bhavai comes from the ancient tribes of Kalbelia. The dance involves women dressing up in traditional attire including veils and skirts(long), musicians playing traditional instruments at the back, and women matching the tunes with their dance performances. But, no, there is more to it than that. The Bhavai dance involves, not just dancing, but also carefully balancing close to nine pieces of brass pots on their heads, while they dance. Creating a sense of anxiety mount viewers, you get confused if you want to enjoy the dance or just anxiously watch the nine pots balance. A slight move and your heart might just skip a beat. The performer is truly amazing, one that requires a great degree of experience.
- Chari
Similar in many ways to the Bhavai dance, Chari is a dance form that originates from the ancient society of the Gujjars and Saini. The dance is performed by a pair of women who are dressed in ethnic. Men on instruments at the back and women in the front. As the music begins, the pair commence their performances. They carefully balance a brass not on their head with a burning lamp inside of it and dance to the tunes of the music. Imagine a pot of burning lamp kept on your head and asked to dance, scary isn’t it? But these women do it flawlessly. They dance without care and deliver a performance one cannot stop applauding for. It’s is a folk dance of Rajasthan that’s in every sense, beautiful, amazing, and at the same time horrifying.
- Dancing with fire
The name is all you need to guess the type of performance you will be expecting from this famous dance of Rajasthan. Dancing with fire includes men with sticks of fire, musicians playing traditional instruments like dholak and tabla. The dance comes from the tribal community of Banjaras who often indulge in such dangerous performances in the past. Watching the performance will make you go wow! And knowing that the performer is safe after every perforce will provide you relief. Yes, the performances are turkey dangerous but the dances find a way to tackle the fire and dodge any kind of damage they could have because of it.
- Terah Taal
Going back to ancient times, Terah Taal was first performed by the Kamada Tribe. In recent times, there has been some alteration in the final Terah Taal dance form but it still remains as exotic as it always was. The performance includes women dancing in a sitting position. Attached to them are close to 13 disc-shaped objects called Majeeras attached to their hands, a sword in their mouth, and a pot in their front. The performers use these items to create melodious sounds. It is absolutely fascinating to experience. The dance is also accompanied by music played by men at the back with instruments like tabla, sarangi, and harmonium among others. You can enjoy these dances in places like Udaipur and Ramdevra of Rajasthan or sometimes at events like weddings.
There are many more famous dances of Rajasthan but none more daredevil than these. You need a course and a lot of time, patience to enjoy these performances thoroughly. People who know about these dances visit the state witness this first hand. So, for your next trip to Rajasthan, make a list of all the folk dances you want to see and make it an objective to enjoy them all.