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| Rajasthani Folk Music and Dances |
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Folk Music and Dance form a vital part of
Rajasthan's rich culture. Songs are used to describe
the legendary battles that the Rajput rulers won
fighting bravely. Music and Dance provides identity
as well as entertainment from the daily life of the
dry land. The amazingly rich
 music has an
extraordinary individuality, tradition and flavour,
which gives a unique feature and quality to the
different musical sounds, and a certain rhythms that
does not fail to fascinate the listener.
Folk Music
The Folk songs are commonly Ballads which relate the
heroic deeds and the love stories. It also includes
the devotional songs known as Bhajans and Banis and
accompanied by percussion instruments such as
ektaras or Dhalaks. The communities of Dhadhis, the
Dholis, the Mangamars and the Nats are professional
singers . The Muslim Mirasis specialise in folk
music called Mands which are similar to classical
singing.
Instruments
Dhol - The most common
instruments in the villages is the Dholak or the
Dhol. Made out of Goat skin,one end is beaten with a
stick while another end played with the hand. The
smaller version is called the Dholak which is one of
the most common in Northern India. Another type of
the drum is the ektara, which is played during the
devotional functions.
Matas - These are
played in pairs by two musicians. The Mata looks
like a earthen pot with a skin stretched over the
opening. A popular instruments of the Bhopas, the
renowned story telling caste. The Chara is an
earthen pot, but the mouth is left open. At times
the musician blow in to this space creating a deep
resonance with a booming sound.
Naupat - The instrument
is played during marriage ceremonies and consists of
two drums, a Nagada, the male form and the Jheel,
the female form. The Khazari is a small drum
encircled with bras or iron bells traditionally
played by the Kalbelias.
Rawanahattha - The two
string bowed instrument is played by the Bhopas in
honour of their Deity, Pabuji. One among the two
strings is made out of horse hairs and the other
from several twisted threads. The bow is made from a
coconut shell and the main body from bamboo.
Sarangi - The
instrument has various types. The Sindhi Sarangi is
used to accompany Sarangiya Langas. A smaller
version is the Gujrati sarangi and there is the
Jogiya Sarangi generally played by snake charmers
who hail from the district of Barmer and Jodhpur.
Dance
Most tribal groups in Southern Rajasthan practice
the age old forms of Folk dances. The Ghoomer is a
typical ceremonial dance performed only by the women
folks in festivals and weddings accompanied by
kettledrums. A new bride on entering her husband
home for the very first time has to perform the
Ghooma as a ritual.
Sapera Dance - This
curvaceous dance is performed by the Kalbeliya or
the Snake Charmer community. The Dancers wear long ,
black skirts embroidered with silver ribbons. Upon
spinning a circle their body sways in an acrobatic
manner.
Terah-Taali Dance - The
Dancers dances with Thirteen Cymbals that give
rhythm to the intricate movements of the Performer.
They give a synchronous body movement wit h the
accompanying musical instrument and the devotional
singing. Nine cymbals are fastened on the right leg,
seven between the knee and the ankle, and the rest
on the toes and the arms. With the fast movement the
the cymbals tinkle and the image of the rocking
performer is very lovely to see.
Kachchi Ghodi -
Performed mainly by the men-folk of the Bavariia,
kumhar and Sargara communities ,the dance is
associated with marriage festivals called kachchi-
Ghodi. The roots goes to the Martial communities
where four to five persons are seen as if riding
horses. The horse is made of bamboo sticks and
baskets beautifully decorated. |
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