Joy of Dancing

  Kalbelia Dance The Kalbelia dance is associated with the Kalbelia tribe of Rajasthan. The people of this tribe are also called snake charmers. Their ancestors enthralled the members of Royalty by performing an array of tricks with snakes, an exercise which later transformed into public shows at local fairs and bazaars. The people of this Rajasthani tribe live a nomadic life and travel like a caravan from place to place. The main occupation of this tribe had been capturing snakes and dealing in their venom and practicing alternative medicine because of their local knowledge of flora and fauna. However, after the enforcement of the Government Wildlife Act, 1972, the people of Kalbelia tribe were forced to stop their traditional profession of snake handling. Their main profession is now dancing and singing which has earned them name as well as fame. It is now their main source of income. The dance of these snake charmers has evolved over time and is intricately linked to their lif...

Uttar Pradesh is the most populous and the fourth largest state of India. It lies in the northern, central part of the country having a population of more than 200 million. It is a state with a rich and diverse cultural heritage and is home to a very old tradition of dance and music. Kathak, a classical dance form, grew and flourished in Uttar Pradesh. Apart from Kathak, this state is home to many other folk dances such as Khyal, Raslila, Nautanki etc. But one of the most spectacular but lesser-known folk dances of Uttar Pradesh is the ‘Charkula Dance’. In this dance, performers are veiled women who balance a large multi-tiered circular wooden pyramid on their heads and dance on the rhythm of Rasiya which are songs dedicated to Hindu God Lord Krishna and his female consort Radha. Rasiya songs describe the love of the divine couple Radha and Lord Krishna and are sung accompanying the rhythm of huge drums locally known as Bumb. The Charkula dance is mainly associated with the Braj regi...