Want to have some enjoyment? Know about the Dance Forms of Chhattisgarh
Want to have some enjoyment? Then do pay a visit to Chhattisgarh. The Chhattisgarhi culture is immersed with varieties of dance form, varying with each tribe and sub dialect. There are many major and minor dance forms of Chhattisgarh, of which we shall try to cover a few.
JHIRLITI
It is a less popular dance form of Chhattisgarh. Not much have been documented about Jhirliti in any of the major works or media. You won`t find any stuff except for a couple of anthropological survey.
As the sun sets in, in the dusky twilight, the kids all dressed up in rags and fancy worn out costumes, face laced with chalks, powdered coal and smearing colors of perhaps leftover Rangoli powders, with bowls and short bamboos and fancy wooden stuffs in their hands, dance in circles in front of all the houses in the village. The children are given sweets, or ration articles like rice and lentils or some coins after their short jovial and funny dance. The kids’ hangout and have picnic with the stuff gathered in Jhirliti.
NACHA
It is the most popular dance form among all the dance forms of Chhattisgarh. This dance is attributed to the phase of the awaking of the deities. The customary dance might have descended from the occult, having similar traditions all around the world. It is basically performed by the Yaduvanshi clans who consider themselves to be the descendants of their Kul-Dev (clan-deity) Krishna.
The other version of Nacha is actually a form of theatre, with more than 4 variants including the Khare Saaj Nacha; Gandawa Nacha; Dewar Nacha and Baithe Saaj Nacha. The Nacha is performed except in Bastar and Sarguja region.
GENDI
Gendi is fun full dance among all the Dance Forms of Chhattisgarh. The people are too excited to enjoy this dance form. Mounting on two long bamboo or just any firm sticks, you will have to perform on the ground, performing excellent balance as they sway to the tribal acoustics and percussions.
PANTHI
Panthi is a dance form which echoes the heartaches of Nirvana, a plea of human souls from unknown millennia.
Panthi is the exclusive folk dance of the Satnami samaj who follow the teachings of their Guru Ghasidas. Guru Ghasidas propagated a deviant form of sanatan dharma and led a radical life and revolted against the prevalent superstitions and the malpractices of the self-professed religious gurus. Despite years of persecution and the assassination of his son, his teachings and way of life prevailed among the followers and family. The Panthi dance in this context is a prayer for salvation, lost in the syntax of time and evolution of the organized religion.
