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The Desert Region
The Ghoomar also called Jhumar may be described as the national dance of the
women of Rajasthan. It is a collective dance in which hundreds of women can join and
dance in giant circle. It is performed on festive days in middle-class
families in Udaipur, Jodhpur and Kota Bundi areas. In Udaipur, it resembles the
Garva of neighbouring Gujarat and is very musical. In Jodhpur, the movement of the
limbs are jerky. The Ghoomar of Kota Bundi is very lively and impressive. The
tune of the song which accompanies this dance is melodious and catchy.
The fire-dance of the Siddha
Jats of Bikaner is remarkable for its sensational
and awe-inspiring impact. Maharaja Ganga Singh of Bikaner was a great patron of
the fire dancers who inhabit Katriasar, Bhamlu, Dikamdesar and other villages. The fire dancers make a born-fire to the beating of drums, the playing of
the bher and the singing of a song. Inspired by tumultuous music, the dancers, including
old men and even children jump on to the fire and dance over it. As the dance,
gathers tempo, they lift burning coals and throw them on others but do jot cause
any injury. The dance lasts half an hour, it does not leave burns on the
dancers.
The drum dancers of Jalore are
professionals. It is performed during
marriages, this male dance is a synthesis of various folk dances. Four or five
drums are beaten simultaneously and one of the dancers holds a sword between his
teeth, another carries sticks in his hands, a third swings handkerchiefs from his
arms and the remaining simply make movements to the rhythm of the dance.
The
Teratali is a peculiar dance-form of the desert and Deedwana and Pokaran
are its centres. Those who practices this dance-form are known as Kamads and the
party usually consists of two men and two women. The men play the ektara and
sing, while the women produce musical notes from the manjiras tied to various
parts of their bodies. The postures and the twists of the body necessary to
extract musical rings from the manjira are very difficult to perform.
The
Kachhi Ghori dance of marwar performed to the beat of the dhol and turhi
by four or five dancers during marriage, presents a scene of warriors riding
horses.
The dancers of the
Kan-Gujari are mendicants who
describe themselves as incarnations of Radha-Krishna. They beg from door to door, singing to the tunes
of the Ravanhattya and dancing with highly artistic movements.
The Bhopas
are a minstrel community divided into five sects. They also dance
and Bhopas of Gogaji, Mataji and Bhaironji go into such ecstasy while dancing
that they sometimes become unconscious.
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