The Traditions of India

1. THE TRADITIONAL FORMS OF
INDIA
1.CHHAU
2.GARBA
3.BHANGRA/GIDDA
4.KATHAKALI
5.KATHAK

2. CHHAU • Chhau dance is a tradition from eastern India
that enacts episodes from epics including the
Mahabharata and Ramayana, local folklore
and abstract themes.
• The three forms of Chau are named after the
district or village where they are performed,
i.e. the Purulia Chau of Bengal, the
Seraikella Chau of Bihar and the
Mayurbhanj Chau of Orissa.
• Three legendary dance Gurus Upendra Biswal, Banabali Das and Rajendra
Pattanayak ushered in the Chhau tradition in the royal court of Saraikela.
Later, Banabali Das shifted to Mayurbhanj and started his own form of Chhau
which came to be known later as the Mayurbhanj Shaili of Chhau Nritya.

3. GARBA
• Garba is a dance form native to the west Indian state of
Gujarat, performed in October to honour the Hindu Deity of
Divinity, Goddess Durga. Though Garba is mainly an event
for Navaratri celebrations, this joyful folk dance is
performed on almost every special occasion in Gujarat as a
sacred tradition.
• Garba typically consists of snaps and
claps to keep the beat of the dance as
well as twirls, all done in a circle and
performed in Durga's honor.
• Traditionally, women wear chaniya choli—a traditional Gujarati three-piece outfit
comprising choli (a blouse), a chaniya (long flared skirt), and an embellished
dupatta (long scarf).

4. BHANGRA / GIDDA
• It originated as a folk dance celebrated during the time of the harvest. Bhangra is traditionally
danced to the dhol instrument, a large drum, and boliyan, short sets of lyrics that describe scenes
or stories from Punjab. These lyrics most commonly reference themes of love, patriotism,
strength, and celebration.
• The tamba, which is also called
tehmat is the Punjabi version of
the lungi which has folds at the
front and is the traditional
dress for Punjabi men. The
tamba is worn by Bhangra
dancers.
• The exact origins of bhangra are unclear, but historians speculate that Punjabi farmers may
have performed bhangra moves to pass the time while working as early as the fourteenth or
fifteenth century in Sialkot, a Punjab district in Pakistan.

5. KATHAKALI
• A Kathakali performance, like all classical dance arts of India,
synthesizes music, vocal performers, choreography and hand and
facial gestures together to express ideas. However, Kathakali differs in
that it also incorporates movements from ancient Indian martial arts
and athletic traditions of South India.
• Kathakali originated in the state of Kerala between the
16th and 17th centuries, around the same time as
Shakespeare.
• The Kathak costumes were initially ghaghra (long skirt), Choli
(Blouse) and a veil. Gradually, it gave way to churidhar, pyjamas
and angrakha and finally a sari for women. For the men, the Odissi
dance costume is the Dhoti.

6. KATHAK
• Janakiprasad was a dancer and a Sanskrit scholar, and credited
with inventing the bols of Kathak, which are mnemonic syllables
within the language of this classical dance of India. According to
Nicole Lehmann, modern Kathak dancers show, to varying
degrees, a fusion of the styles from all three gharanas.
• The Kathak costumes were initially ghaghra (long skirt), Choli (Blouse) and a veil. Gradually, it
gave way to churidhar, pyjamas and angrakha and finally a sari for women. For the men, the
Odissi dance costume is the Dhoti.
• Kathak is indigenous to northern India and developed under the influence
of both Hindu and Muslim cultures. Kathak is characterized by intricate
footwork and precise rhythmic patterns that the dancer articulates by
controlling about 100 ankle bells.

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