FAIRS Goa carnival (February) –Goa

FAIRS

Goa carnival (February) –Goa

In the south – west of India, in February, as the rigour and fasting of lent approach, the residents of Goa, specially of Panaji, give vent to an exuberance and zest for life in a carnival that lasts for a week.

This carnival, rivals the best in the world. Bright colourdful costumes, masks and flitrations favour the revelers. Processions follow processions. Geniously made floats ply down the picturesque roads. And for an unforgettable week exuberance and joy find a home amidst the sandy beaches and beauty of Goa.

Urs (April / may ) – ajmer sharif

New clothes and feasts at home for friends, acquaintance and strangers. At the fairs, the wonderland of saints, fakirst and pilgrims. The endless voices in gawalishing the praise of Hazarat Khwaza Moinuddin chishti, helper of the poor. Such an environment welcomes visitors at the Urs of ajmer sharif.

The fair, like all fairs in India, is just not a commercial venture. It si a great out – Pouring of culture. All nigh – long, qawalsals, regardless of religion, sing in the mehfil and poets sprout amides the shop, above the hubbuch n the streets.

FESTIVAL / FAIRS OF INDIA

FESTIVAL / FAIRS OF INDIA

The festivals in India manifest the living force pulsating in its culture. The Indian mind carved out three categories of festivals. They are Vrata, OParva and Tyohars, the fist being essentially on oocasion to fast, the second being commemoration of the sancitity of notable events; the third as sheer celebration. Mahatma Gandhi divided these over lappings of Indian festivals in two categories as kamya and nitya, the first pre-supposing spcial  desire and the latter having no desires but love and devotion. The festivals of India enshirine and keen alive men and ideals that have left their impress on the historyof the race.A survey of festivals celebrated by various communities on different parts of the country would required a considerable volume. Therefore, the most important festivals, of india, which represent each community and almost every regionof india are being described here.

Holi (February/march) – All over India: Especially in the North

Celebrating the advent of spring men, women and children revel in throwing coloured water and powder on their friends. The most intereresting Holi celebration is the lathmar Holi at Barsana near Mathura. IN the Punjab Particularly at Anandpur Sahib, a sect of the Sikh community observes Holla Mohalla, a day after Holi, and stag mock battles with ancient weapons.

Jamshed navroz (March) – Maharashtra, Gujarat

New Year ’s Day for the parsi followers of the Fasli calendar. The celebrations, which include donning fine clothes, prayers at temples, greetings, alms – giving and feasting at home, data back to Jamshed, the legaendary king of Persia.

Gangaur (March /april) – Rajasthan

FOLK DANCES WESTERN INDIA (GUJARAT AND MAHARASHTRA)

(I)                WESTERN INDIA (GUJARAT AND MAHARASHTRA)

Rasa Nritya is considered to be the form of Rasa Leela, which Krishna used to perform when  he was leading the l ife of a ow – herd boy at gokul and vrandavan. In several Sanskrit treaties and books it is mentioned as the form of  Halli Saka Nritya of which Danda Resak, tala Rasak and Laleet Rasa were the Varieties.

Danda Rasak known as Dania Rasa is by itself very simple and is generally performed by a group of youthful people who move in a circle to measured steps, marking timeby sticks called dandias which they keep in thei hands, also sing in chorus accompanied by dhol, chmbals, zanz, flute or shahnai.

Tala and Lalit Rasaka. Similarly when the time measure is kept with clapping of hands instead of ‘sticks’, it is called “Tala Rasak”. This is also allied Garbi in Saurashtra where generally the males percolate. In Gujarat, Dandia Rasa is more popular in Saurashtra than in any other part and performed during the janmashtami and other festive occasions connected with god Krishna’s life

Matki Nritya is a lyrical variation of the Rassa Dance which departs love episodes of God Krishna during his younger days. The time beat is maintained by striking their fingers or ring on the fingers on the empty pots.

Mer Rasa.mers are a virile community which migrated to saurashtra with Jathwa rajputs soon after the fall of vlalabhis in the 8^th century A.D. they are at present founding the porbandar region of junagarh district and Baradi regionof Jamnagar District in Saurashtra. The Rasa of Mars begins is a slow tempo which warms up at the end. They strike the dandies so furiously and brings so much of verve and vigour in the bodily movements that it took more like sabre rattling in a war dance.

Thambal Chonabi a Manipuri folk dance, it is a merry social dance performed during the festival of Holi.

(II)              Western India (Gujarat and Maharashtra)

FOLK DANCES (NORTH INDIA)

(I)                 NORTH INDIA

Kalri is an occasion when the peasants in north India propitiate the Vedic God Indra and pray for then nourishment of the earth and fire and a successful harvest. Performed in raily season the dance movements follow the songs that are accompanied by the rhythmic beat of the dholuk and cymbals.

Nautanki is one of the most pouplar folk daneof Uttar Pradesh with songs recited in operative style. Acting and dance movements interpret stories connected with mythology and also modern social problems.

Ras Lila is an equally popular dance form originating in Mathura and Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh, which are closely connected with the life of God Krishna. Fine movements, some of them being common with those of the Kathak, are most attractive. Playing the roles of the Gopies and Radha, the expression of the dancers is full of freshness and charm.

Karan is a dance to worship the holy tree marking the happy period when the harvest is over. The dance festival commences with fasting during the day.

Jhora is a community dance and is done by both men and women. All castes joining in the celebration. Dancing to a court of four or eiht beats, they stand and  bend, sit down and then prance around in a merry alternation of movement and counter movement.

Chappell is one of the romantic dances of the Kumaon hills which is often performed at weddings and spring time. Depicting as it does the spirit of romance, dancers perform in twos, holding a mirror in one hand and a coloured handkerchief in the other had which they gracefully wave, as they advance forwards and backwards in rhythmic stepping.

FOLK DANCES

FOLK DANCES

Whereas classical dances tend to be subject to a definite order and a complicated system of gesture language, foot worked body movements, folk dance is generally muh more spontaneous. Its primary impulse in rhythm; its roots lie in religious and seasonal festivals, and hence it is often guided by songs glorifying nature, expressing traditional occupations and offering devotion to deities. The vast majority of folk dances are performed by groups of people, usually consisting of either men or women, Certain basic dance pattern exist, These have been described in medieval Sanskrit literature and consist of the Pindi (group), the thrinkhala (chain), lata (creeper) and bhedyaka (the separate movement of each daner away from the group). Even more basic is the ransack Talai – Rasa, with rhythmic clapping of hands, and the Danda-rasa, in which each dancer marks the rhythm with a pair of sticks,. Through these dances unsupported by the written word, and established by its tremendous sociological impact, customs and tradition have been established and people’s aesthetics enriched. With national consciousness for the arts growing from day – to – day, many of these beautiful expressive dances are coming to urban audiences and are being received with the enthusiasm and success they deserve. The number of folk dances in India being legion. Only a selective representation is being discussed below:

(I)                 South India

Kolattam is a dance by young girls with little lacquered sticks held in hands to celebrate the birthday of Rama. Originating from Tamil Nadu, this dance form is popular throughout India. Another variety of this dance form is popular throughout India. Another verity of this dance is known as penal kilkattam accompanied with song or chorus that speak of the trapping of the sticks in rhythm, of the twinning fate strammers, of happy youth and that of happy dance.

CLASSICAL DANCES OF INDIA (MISCELLANEOUS DANCES )

Miscellaneous dances

The major classical dance styles, as mentioned above, by no means exhaust the list of existing dance arts of India. There are interesting performances, with highly artistic values and arduously developed disciplines, surviving in different parts of the country under indigenous condition. One such system is the Chhau Dance of Mayurbhanji and Saraikala. Chua is a dance which is exclusively performed by men. Originated from seraikela, a former princely state in Orissa, now in Bihar, this dance form follows certain fundamental traditions of the classical modes. It is dedicated to the twin aspects of Shiva and Shakti. It is a dance of festival which culminates in a three- day ceremonial worship in the Shiva temple to be followed by a grand procession. They interpret mythology, sacred history, legend and nature,. The style is precise and vigorous comprising of intricate steps, jumps, quick turns, gliding walks and various gaits. The choreography is well thought out and impressive.

(I)                 Mohini attam is one  of the important forms of the classical dance tradition of Karla, presenting a perfect mode for solo performance that incorporates lasya and tandava styles. Its technique is based on the Kathakali mode, which Includes the peculiar manner of dancing with the feet and legs apart, knees greatly bent, and utilizing the rhythmic syllable words in the recitation and play of the drum, with perfect synchronization of the dancer’s feet.

CLASSICAL DANCES OF INDIA (MANIPURI)

(I              MANIPURI   

From legendary times the beautiful valley of Manipur in the far away north – eastern region of India maintained as indigenous dance style of its own know as Manipuri. The history of the Origin of this art is shrouded in Mystery, though there is plenty of evidence to show that at from very early times the people of Manipur loved dance and music and prodded themselves as the descendants of the Gandharvas. By the eighteenth Century, the Bhakti cut was deeply rooted in Manipur and, patronized by the ruling princes, it became a popular form of religion the traditional dance and music of the are came under the influence of the new cult and adjusted itself to the spirit of the times. The credit for reviving and systematizing the dance off the solid goes taking bhayachandra who became ruler of Manipur in 1764. The king’s whole hearted encouragement to music and dance finally culminated in the revival of the Manipuri dance. The poses, their variations and movements of the body in the Manipur system were candied.

It was in the early years of the twentieth century that the Manipuri captured the attention of Rabindra Nath Tagore. The mode of the dance, the melody of the music, the emotions represented and the artistic value of the performances all appealed to Tagore’s imagination in a profound sense. At Santiniketan he initiated the study and performance of Manipuri till the art was restored to its original value. That ws the beginning of the modern phase in the history of the Manipuri dance. Tagore gave his touch of vitality to Manipuri to keep it abrest of the times. He supplied themes for the dance =-dramas in Manipuri technique, and his rabindra sangeet made the dance especially charming in many respects.