The Hajong people, primarily farmers, celebrate the Baastu and Paabni dances as part of their unique animist faith. "Paabni" means to "get something" from mother nature. Celebrated in April/May or October/November, the rituals occur before sowing seeds. After village prayers,…

Mangho dance is the folk dance of the Bakarwal tribe performed in Jammu & Kashmir. Dancing indicates harmony, unison, and harmony with nature. This dance form is mostly performed at special occasions of the community such as festivals, social gatherings, and seasonal changes. The colorful…

The dance of the Angamis popularly called Melo Phita is one of the eminent traditional dances, which are performed in the angami tribe of Nagaland. Significantly, this dance is performed during the sekrenyi festival in the month of February. In fact, it represents a vivid reflection of the cultural…

Popir Dance is the focal celebration of the Galo tribe in the Mopin festival of Arunachal Pradesh, danced to celebrate Mopin Ane, the Galo Goddess of prosperity. On April 5, Popir is performed to seek blessings for a bountiful agricultural season and ward off adversity. With laughter and piety,…

The Rekham Pada dance is a cultural centerpiece of the Nyishi people, performed during the Nyokum festival in Arunachal Pradesh. The festival’s name, with “Nyo” meaning land and “kum” symbolizing gathering, represents a unification of the Nyishi community to honor Goddess Nyokum, regarded as…

Gedi Nritya is a lively tribal dance form of the Gond people. Gonds are one of the largest tribal groups that are spread all over Chhattishgarh and Madhya Pradesh in India. The main attraction of this dance is its use of "gedi" which means a pair of bamboo stilts with footrests. The…

This is a dynamic and ritual dance that is performed by the Sing Marias or Tallaguda Marias on the bastars of Chhattisgarh at Abhujmar plateau. Being named as 'Gaur', which means the bison, this dance is full of vigorous animal-like movements. The dance is held in both jubilant…

Holi Dance which is popularly called Gher Dance, is a quite religious activity among Garasia tribe found in Banaskantha, sabarkantha and Arravali districts of northern Gujarat state. So, this dance is performed every year during Holi. The dance further conveys that it is not only celebration but…

The Kunbi tribe in the Dang district of Gujarat, with tribals making up 94.64% of the entire population, retains very strong traditions of dancing. Among them is the Kahadiya Dance, a sacred dance with ritual meaning, performed to appease deities and to ward off calamities. The dance reflects the…

The Gheraiya Dance is a sacred, ancient tradition believed to honor the gods and goddesses of the Bhil and Rathwa tribes. Legend tells that Raja Phanta Dev and Ganda Thakur Dev, sons of King Toranmal, began this ritual during the Holi festival as a divine celebration. The dance reflects devotion,…