I visited the 41st India Internation Trade Fair recently. Among the multitude of amazing stalls, I found a few stalls exhibiting toys of regional traditions. Being a mother of an eleven months old these stalls were especially appealing to me. Among these stalls were stalls exhibiting and selling beautifully colored Channapatna toys. It is said […]
Even those who don’t like chicken like Chikan. – The shop owner declared while showing beautifully carved handcrafted chikan work clothes. He had earlier demonstrated how the cloth is first block-printed and the karigars work along the lines of the print. After the embroidery is done, the fabric is washed and sometimes even dyed as
The cultural heritage of Bengal is eminent to the World. The hierarchy of musical culture and artistic diversity remain all over India. “Nana Bhasa, Nana Mot, Nana Paridhan; Bibhider Majhe Dekho Milano Mohan” – Atul Prasad Sen These lines form Bengali composer, and poet Atul Prasad Sen means that despite the diversity of languages, opinions,
Gond or Gondi is the Indian tribe that welcomes tourists with fruits and small gifts. They are known as the largest tribes in South Asia. Gondi people reside in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, and Odisha. You can notice their love for their cultural heritage in every little corner of
Ghumar dance originated in Rajasthan during Rajput rule. It is performed by the Bhil tribe to worship the goddess Saraswathi. The word Ghumar represents the twirling movement elegantly done by the dancers. It is one of the special types of folk dance, performed by an individual woman or a group of women. When welcoming the
Rasleela is a popular dance form of Manipur State. This dance form has a religious inclination and exhibits a pure feeling of love and compassion. It is known for its association with Hindu religious texts. Rasleela represents the sacred love between Hindu deities Radha and Krishna. The roots of the Dance performance lies in the
Ottan Thullal is a folk dance form of Kerala. Malayalam poet Kunchan Nambiyar introduced this dance form. Ottan thullal dates back to the 18th century. It is a Recite and Dance art form. The word “Ottan” means pace, and “Thullal” means “leap or jump forward”. Ottan thullal dance art is performed on fundamental issues of
Ottan Thullal Dance – Unveiling Regional Prejudices Read More »
Thang Ta is a folk dance of Manipur state. It is an ancient dance form that is a hybrid of combat and martial dance forms Thang-Ta is an essential aspect of Huyen Langlon (also spelled as Huyen Lallong) which means “The Art of the Sword and Spear”. The Meities clan is the founder of Thang
Keertan is a religious folk dance of West Bengal. It is the most prevalent in the state of West Bengal. The word Keertan has evolved from the Sanskrit word “Kirt”, whose contextual meaning is to mention, praise, glorify, or adore. The musical component of this dance includes the Mantras and Hymns from the Hindu Vedic
Kalbelia is one of the types of folk dance performed by Kalbelias. The performers of dance are women who swirl with their black skirts and cheerfully dance with elegance. Their movements often resemble the snake, so it is also known as Sapera Dance or Snake Charmer Dance. Costume of Kalbelia Dance The dancers wear a
The Kathi folk dance is performed by people of West Bengal. Earlier the dance engendered the earnest feeling of Bengal culture. However, it has become a mere source of entertainment and joy. The regional sect in West Bengal celebrates it for the amusement of the audiences and performing artists. The dance is performed on the
Kathi dance – Unveiling the culture of West Bengal Read More »
Dhali is a war motive dance style very similar to Pyrrhichios, but it expresses the defensive manner of war. Dhali comes from the word Dhal that refers to a shield of defense. Dhali dances portray the shieldmen in the troops. This dance form is widely popular in the aboriginal community of Bengal. The courage, excitement,
