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Painting
The art
products, specially the celebrated miniatures of Basohli (132 Km from Jammu,
now a dilapidated township) have a pride of place in the great art museums of
the world. The Amar Mahal Palace and the Dogra Art Gallery in Jammu, house
collections of these exquisite paintings in the state. An extraordinary
terseness of the compositions, depicted with intense feeling and the utmost
economy of line are the distinguishing features of the Basohli Qalam
paintings. Another unique characteristic feature is their strong
local flavour, typified by the brave romantic hero courting the frail but
beautiful lady.
At the folk level,
the typical art of the Jammu area can be seen on the walls of baulis or the
constructions around a spring, usually in the vicinity of a temple. As in
different parts of India, the walls are usually ornamented with sculptures or
engravings of gods and goddesses. The naga provides a common motif for their
ornamentations. Enduring specimens of Bauli art, noted for their excellence
are to be found at Billavar, Sukrala, Sudh Mahadev and Udhampur. Wall paintings
in the huts of villagers surprise the onlooker with the degree of artistry
attained by the folk.
Dance
Dance, music and
songs of the Jammu division also reflect the life of the folk, like the march of
seasons, sowing and harvesting of crops, births, marriages and deaths. Kudd
is the popular dance of the upland dwellers. Usually performed at night after
the sowing or other agricultural operations are over, Kudd starts with a slow
rhythm, the dancers (wearing churidar and pyjamas or long robes falling to the
knees) dance round and round a fire in an open space. To the lively
accompaniment of musicians playing on the flute, drum and narasinha, the tempo
of the dance rises to a crescendo until the dancers, uttering loud cries are
quite tired.
Another
typical folk dance of the rural people of Jammu region, inhabiting the areas
between the uplands and the plains is Phummian (the word meaning
'blooming', in Dogri). The gaily attired dancers open and close their fingers
to symbolise the flowers in bloom.
Bhangra, the vigorous folk
dance associated more with the Punjab, is quite popular among the people of the
plains in the Jammu district. High-spirited revelry, the dancers leaping in the
air, performing acrobatic feats, distinguish this virile dance, which has become
a feature of marriage processions.
Particularly
popular during the Lori festival in Jammu is the folk dance called Dandaras.
An effigy made of bamboos and coloured paper, resembling a peacock, is carried
by each group of dancers, who dance around it with gusto. Each one carries a
short stick and dancer hits the sticks carried by the other group. The skilled
dancer is the one who can hit the sticks of others, himself gyrating in
different postures
Music
As for Dogri-Pahari music, it has a long and rich tradition. Songs welcoming different seasons are
accompanied with the virile Bhangra and other dances. The musicality of Dogras
appears at its best in the singing of different forms of folk songs. The wind
instruments used are nagaja (or galjoja), turturi, kail, narsinha
and nafeeri. The stringed musical instruments are king,
chakara and iktara. Among the drums, besides the dholki, nagar and duff are popular.
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