Dance & Festivals

SAILA DANCE

The Saila Dance is a traditional folk dance of the Gond tribe of Chhattisgarh, India. The Gond tribe is one of the largest tribal groups in central India, and their Saila Dance is an integral part of their cultural heritage.

The Saila Dance is performed by a group of men and women, who dance in a circle around a large drum called a mandar. The dancers wear colorful traditional costumes and adorn themselves with jewelry made of beads and feathers. The dance is accompanied by singing and the beats of the mandar, which is played by a drummer.

The Saila Dance is usually performed during the harvest season and other festive occasions. The dance represents the joy and celebration of the Gond tribe and is believed to bring good luck and prosperity to the community.

Today, the Saila Dance has gained popularity beyond the Gond tribe and is often performed at cultural events and festivals across Chhattisgarh and other parts of India, as well as in other countries where Indian culture is celebrated.

KARMA DANCE

The Karma Dance is a popular folk dance of Chhattisgarh, India. It is performed by the tribal communities of the state, especially during the Karma festival, which falls in the spring season.

The Karma festival is a celebration of the harvest season and is dedicated to the worship of the deity of fertility and prosperity. The Karma Dance is an important part of the festivities and is performed by both men and women.

During the dance, performers form a circle and move in a synchronized pattern, clapping their hands and singing traditional songs. The dance is accompanied by the sound of the mandar, a traditional instrument made from a bamboo stick and a gourd. The dance is performed with great enthusiasm and energy, as it is believed to bring good luck and prosperity to the community.

The Karma Dance is a vibrant and colorful representation of the rich cultural heritage of Chhattisgarh, and is a popular attraction for tourists visiting the state.

 

PANTHI

Panthi is a traditional folk dance of Chhattisgarh, India, that originated in the Satnami community. The dance is performed during religious festivals and other cultural events, and is considered to be an important part of the region's cultural heritage.

Panthi is a group dance that is typically performed by men and women together. The dance is accompanied by traditional music played on instruments like the dholak, mandar, and harmonium. The lyrics of the songs are usually devotional in nature and praise the deeds of the saints.

During the dance, the performers form a circle and move in a synchronized pattern, clapping their hands and singing along with the music. The movements of the dance are energetic and lively, and often involve jumps and spins.

Panthi is also known for its unique costumes, which include brightly colored clothes and jewelry, as well as turbans and scarves for the men. The women wear traditional sarees and bangles.

The Panthi dance is a vibrant and joyful celebration of the cultural traditions of Chhattisgarh, and is a popular attraction for tourists visiting the region.

 

PANDWANI

Pandwani is a traditional folk art form of Chhattisgarh, India that originated in the Dindori district of the state. It is a narrative singing style that involves the retelling of the story of the Hindu epic, the Mahabharata, through song and dance.,

The Pandwani art form is performed by a professional storyteller called a Pandwani artist, who recites the tales from the Mahabharata in a musical and rhythmic style. The performance is accompanied by traditional musical instruments like the dholak and the harmonium.

The storytelling is often dramatic and involves various characters from the Mahabharata, each with their own unique voices and personalities. The performance is also accompanied by dance, with the artist using various hand gestures and facial expressions to convey the emotions of the characters.

Pandwani is a popular art form in Chhattisgarh, and is often performed during cultural events and festivals. It is also considered to be an important part of the state's cultural heritage, and efforts have been made to preserve and promote it.

 

RAWAT NACHA

Rawat Nacha, the folk dance of cowherds, is a traditional dance of Yaduvanshis (clan of Yadu) as symbol of worship to Krishna from the 4th day of Diwali(Goverdhan Puja) till the time of Dev Uthani Ekadashi (day of awakening of the gods after a brief rest) which is the 11th day after Diwali according to the Hindu calendar . The dance closely resembles Krishna's dance with the gopis (milkmaids).

In Bilaspur, the Rawat Nach Mahotsav folk dance festival is organized annually since 1978. Tens of hundreds of Rawat dancers from remote areas participate.

 

BASTAR DUSSEHRA

The 600-year old Bastar Dussehra begins with amavasya (dark moon) in the month of Shravan, Bastar Dussehra spans over 75 days, ending on the thirteenth day of the bright moon in the month of Ashwin. Dussehra festival in Bastar  is different from other places where it is linked with Lord Rama or the Ramayana. Bastar is in Dandakarnya, where Lord Rama is believed to have spent the 14 years of his exile. Yet Bastar Dussehra has nothing to do with Lord Rama or the Ramayana.

Here, instead of rejoicing over the killing of Ravana, the tribals celebrate Dussehra as a congregation of Devi Maoli (Bastar’s native deity, revered as the "elder sister" of Devi Danteshwari, the family goddess of the ruling Kakatiya family), and all her sisters. Hundreds of priests bring flower-bedecked local deities to the Danteshwari temple in Jagdalpur, arriving with all pomp and show.

In Bastar Dussehra, the most awaited event is the rath yatra . The massive rath (chariot) might look primitive to an outsider, but it is symbolic of the king's desire to patronize locals instead of bringing a fancy chariot from elsewhere and tribal taboos on using sophisticated tools to make the chariot. It is hewn afresh each year, and the sight of 400 marias pulling it leaves a potent impression of tribal faith.

COMPONENTS & RITUALS OF BASTAR DUSSEHRA

PATA JATRA, WORSHIP OF THE WOOD

DERI GADHAI, Posting Of the Pillars.
KACHAN GAADI, A Throne for Kachan Devi

KALASH STHAPANA, Installation of the Urns

JOGI BITHAI, the Jogi's Penance

RATH PARIKRAMA, Chariot Circuit

NISHA JATRA, the Nocturnal Festival

JOGI UTHAI, Rising of the Jogi

MAOLI PARGHAV, Reception of the Devi Maoli

BHEETAR RAINI, the Inner Circuit

BAAHAR RAINI, the Outer Circuit

KACHAN JATRA, Thanksgiving

MURIA DURBAR, Tribal Chieftains' Conference

OHADI, Farewell to the Deities

HARELI FESTIVAL

This festival is celebrated by farmers in the month of Shravan, by worshipping farm equipment and cows. They place branches and leaves of the Bhelwa tree in the fields and pray for a good crop, and also hang small Neem branches at the main entrance of their homes to prevent seasonal diseases. For the next 15 days, Baigas (the traditional medical practitioners) teachi their disciples - this goes on till panchami (the day following Ganesh Chaturthi). On panchami , they examine their disciples, and if satisfied with their performance, grant them the license to practice medicine. Children play gedi (walking on bamboo) and take part in a gedi race.

BASTAR LOKOTSAV

This fortnight-long tourism event, organized to coincide with Bastar Dassera , showcases the best of Bastar. It takes place every year after the monsoons, when the forests and waterfalls are at their best. Tribal handicrafts can be bought directly from artisans. A folk arts festival of tribal dances and music, Bastar Parab, is organized in Jagdalpur. Bastar Lokotsav adds a vibrnat diemnsion to the festivals of the state.

The dates for Bastar Lokotsav are according to the Hindu (Lunar) calendar, which means the date is not fixed as per the Gregorian calendar. 

POLA FESTIVAL

India is a country where unity abounds in diversity and Chhattisgarh is no exception to this age-old rule. Amongst the various strange rituals that prevail in the country, animal worship is a common phenomenon. Chhattisgarh, with its predominant tribal culture hold animals with great reverence and celebrate eclat festivals as a mark of tribute. Pola is one such festival that is largely celebrated in the bucolic zones of Chhattisgarh with great pomp and grandeur. The objective behind the festive celebrations is to pay respect to the bullocks, without whom the country's economy and agriculture would be in deplorable shambles. Pola Festival, also known as Pithori Amavasya is celebrated during Sharavana or monsoon and lays great emphasis on treating the bestial creatures with due respect. The festival is celebrated on a lovely new moon night when the star studded whitewashed sky closely resembles a ripe and flourishing paddy field. At the culmination of this ceremony, ploughing and sowing of seeds begin. Pola or Bail Pola is a festival that is grandly celebrated in rural India, which has a predominantly agrarian economy. The festivites commence with the farmers adorning their bulls with decorating garments, embellishing their bodies with turmeric powder and garlanding the beast and finally offering them holy food. The evenings witness musical parades promenades where the farmers march with their cattle in tow.

BHORAMDEO FESTIVAL

Maharaj Ramachandra who was one of the members of Nag Kingdom of Chhattisgarh established the famous temple of Raipur where the Bhoramdeo Festival is celebrated toady. Situated at a distance of around 135 km from the city of Raipur, the temple becomes a live manifestation of vigor and celebration in the last week of March when Bhoramdeo festival takes place. The local people of the state come in large numbers to the premises of the temple to witness the aide array of festive events. From dance dramas to folk songs, every type of recreational activity is arranged withing the compounds of the Bhoaramdeo temple. Not only the inhabitants of Chhattisgarh, but also people from other states of India visit the temple complex during the Bhoramdeo Festival.

 

CHAMPARAN MELA

This annual fair has obtained its name from the place where it is celebrated. Champaran is situated at a distance of 56 km from the state capital of Chhattisgarh. The fair at Champaran is held on the month of Magh, that is from the January to February. This cultural fair of Champaran is very popular. It is attended by a number of people from all over the state. Mainly the followers of Vaishnav religion visit the Champaran Mela.

NARAYANPUR MELA

In month of February, right after Jagdalpur Dassera, various Bastar tribes gather, with their deities, for the Narayanpur Mela, and they celebrate this festival with a lot of happiness and exuberance. The term Mela literally means fair but the Narayanpur Mela is not a fair but a festival.

On the occasion of thiS festival, the tribal people follow several traditions and customs. They worship the tribal deities. After worshipping their deities with a lot of devotion, they engage themselves in unrestrained merry making. The gaiety of the tribals knows no bounds. Several sessions of drinking are an integral part of the festivities.

All of us are probably well versed with the fact that collective dancing is an essential part of tribal culture. When they celebrate the Narayanpur Mela, their rhythmic dancing to the notes of fabulous drum music is simply a treat to watch. Dancing together without any restrain or reserve is a way of manifesting their joy and elation. Cheerful freewheeling marks this Chhattisgarh Festival and provides valuable insight into the ethnic way of living of these colorful people.

BAMLESHWARI FAIR

The fair is celebrated during the both the Navratri Parvas at Dongargarh hill in Rajnand Gaon district. This is a big fair, devotees come from different places. The flame is also lit here.

FAGUN MADAI

This festival takes place in March, starting 7-8 days before Holi and ending a few days after Holi. The main attractions of this festival are the deities and the dances based on various tribal and folk stories. The madai (fair), marking the end of the festival, is attended by tribals from all over India.

SHEORINARAYAN FIAR

The Sheorinarayan Fair is held on Magh Purnima, which is the full moon day in the month of Magh. The date is fixed following the Hindu calendar but it more or less corresponds to the month of February in the Gregorian calendar. The Sheorinarayan Fair in Chhattisgarh is a wonderful occasion for the devotees of Lord Rama to come and visit the temple as well as be a part of this colorful and vibrant fiesta.

The followers of this legendary hero Ram offer their prayers at the Sheorinarayan temple. They have ample scope to move around and visit the various shops that are set up at the time of the fair. The shops house a variety of items. Drop in to any of the eating joints that are there and you will surely like the unique taste of these relatively low priced snacks. The fair ground bustles with a lot of activity and it is a treat to watch so many colorful people in such large numbers wandering about. The happy expressions on these bright faces who are so content with the little things of life give pleasure to the onlookers as well. The sights and sounds are very diverse.

THE EARTH FESTIVAL

This tribal festival, dedicated to Mother Earth, is known as Maati Ti'aar in central Bastar and Beeja Pandum in South Bastar. In both festivals, the seeds preserved for sowing in the coming season are fertilized through rituals and sacrificial blood. The festival takes place on different dates in different villages, but it mostly around the time of Chait Navratri in March-April. A toll is collected from passers-by for this festival.

THE CHAKRADHAR SAMAROH

The Chakradhar Festival is a result of the initiative taken by the Ustad Allaudin Khan Sangeet Academy and the Chakradhar Lalit Kala Kendra, two institutes dedicated to the promotion of music.

Each year, dancers and musicians from different parts of the country come to this Musical Festival in Chhattisgarh to display their talents. It is a wonderful opportunity for them to uphold their endowments. A visit to the Chakradhar Festival in Chhattisgarh will give you the wonderful opportunity to witness the programmes of several jewels at the same time. They all possess exceptional caliber and that is well manifested in their performances. Chhattisgarh Festivals like these reflect the rich cultural heritage of our country.

The Chakradhar Festival is celebrated each year at the time of Ganesh Chaturthi.

MADAI FESTIVAL

This tribal festival is celebrated by the tribes of Kanker and Bastar regions, to worship the local God(dess). It travels through the Kanker, Bastar and Dantewada regions from December to March each year.

In December, celebrations start in Bastar to honour the goddess Kesharpal Kesharpalin Devi. In January, the people of Kanker, Charama and Kurna celebrate the festival. In February the festival goes back to Bastar and Cheri-Chher-Kin is honoured this time. Towards the end of February, the festival goes to Antagarh, Narayanpur and Bhanupratappur. In March it goes to Kondagaon, Keshkal and Bhopalpattanam.

It is held in a big ground, so that thousands of people can attend the ceremony, which starts with a procession of the local God(dess), followed by worhip of the same, culminating in cultural programs, dancing and lots of good food.