In whole India, Rajasthan is the name for rich diverse culture and tradition. The liveliness of Rajasthani traditions and culture reflects through Folk music and dance. For Rajasthanis, folk music and dance are the life and they habituated them as their part of life.
If we observe, there is a great prominence for the arts in Rajasthan. The best example is the Jodhpur’s RIFF which is an international festival to promote folk attractions.
If you are confused what is the famous dance of Rajasthan then here is the list of popular Folk Music and Dance Forms of Rajasthan perform by the Rajasthanis in festivals and fairs.
Traditional Folk Dance Forms of Rajasthan
1. Ghoomar
Ghoomar, a very popular dance of Rajasthan which is inhabited from ancient days. During the times of Kings, this dance form was performed to entertain the kings. Women in colorful attires and the dance moves by swaying & clapping the hands and twirling in rounds looks very attractive and interesting to see. Now, this dance form is very famous throughout the nation and the world.
Best Places to Enjoy: Udaipur, Kota, Bundi, and Jodhpur.
Also Read : Top Tourist Attractions in Jodhpur
Suggested Tour covering Jodhpur : 8 Days - Rajasthan Tour from Delhi
2. Bhavai Dance
Bhavai is a skillful and wonderful dance performance by the women balancing 6 to 7 brass or earthen pots on the head. To perform this traditional dance form needs great effort and hard work. Apart from balancing the pots, they will dance by placing their feet on a plate or on the edge of a weapon. Just think, balancing the pots and dancing within a plate, it’s really mind-blowing dance performance.
Best Places to Enjoy: Jaipur and Bikaner.
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- 8 Days - Rajasthan Tour from Jaipur
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3. Kalbelia
Kalbelia dance form popularly known as “Sapera Dance” or “Snake Charmer Dance” and also recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage. It is a tribal community dance form by the tribes known as “Kalbelia”. Kalbelia is such a beautiful dance form women in variant colorful clothes forming curly and round line segments resembling a snake. And the background music to the dance performance is another great thing to experience.
Best Places to Enjoy: Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Bikaner, Barmer, Jalore, Jaipur, and Pushkar.
Also Read : Things to do in Bikaner
Suggested Tour Covering Bikaner :
4. Chari or Pot Dance
Chari is a traditional dance form by the Kishangarh and Saini communities which is followed during some special occasions like festivals. Women perform this dance form with a brass pot on head and a lighted lamp in it. They balance the pot skillfully by dancing and making different patterns around the floor with ease.
Best Places to Enjoy: Ajmer and Kishangarh.
Also Read : Top 6 Reasons Why Tourists Love Ajmer
Suggested Tour covering Ajmer : 9 Days - Golden Triangle with Ajmer Pushkar Tour
5. Dandiya
Dandiya, a colorful dance play by both men and women in Rajasthan. It is a very popular and simple dance play along with folk music by circling in rounds and playing with the sticks known as Dandiya sticks. Men and women dancing rhythmically according to the beats of music in vivid clothes looks very colorful and impressive. This dance form mostly performed during festival and marriages.
Best Places to Enjoy: Jaipur and during festivals, almost all places in Rajasthan are known for Dandiya.
6. Kachhi Ghodi
Kachhi Ghodi is a famous dance form by the men representing the stories of Bandits of Shekhawati region. During this dance form, men wear different traditional attires like dhoti, turbans, and kurtas and they perform the dance by riding on puppet horses. The dance form runs with the background songs related to Bandits and mock fights with swords.
Best Places to Enjoy: Shekhawati region, Jaipur, and Udaipur.
Also Read : Top 10 Places to Visit in Udaipur
Suggested Tour covering Udaipur :
7. Terah Taal
Terah Taal is the most ancient art of Rajasthan which is very important and skilled dance form. The main part of this dance form is thirteen Manjeeras means small brass discs. These thirteen brass discs will be attached to the different parts of the body.
When the dancer moves these discs makes rhythmical sounds. Along with these, dancer balances a sword in their mouth and pots on the head. That’s why this dance form will be performed by the skilled dancers only. The dance will begin with the women on the floor attached to the manjeeras. Kamada tribes perform this dance form.
Best Places to Enjoy: Not specific. Almost played in all popular festivals in Rajasthan.
Know About : Why Visit Rajasthan – The Land of Rajputs
8. Gair
Gair is another famous folk dance form by the Bhil community and this dance performance mostly taken place during the festivals like Holi and Janmashtami. Both men and women perform this dance form in colorful traditional attires. Men attires look attractive in long skirts and also they handle sticks for rhythmic beats. The dance formations in clockwise and anti-clockwise moves according to the music beats attracts everyone.
Best Places to Enjoy: Marwar region
Also Read : Everything you need to know about Marwar Festival of Jodhpur
9. Fire dance
Fire dance is a dangerous and difficult folk dance form which is mostly habituated in desert areas. This dance form explains the lifestyle of Jasnathis of Churu and Bikaner.
During this dance form, a large bed of wood and charcoal will light up and men of Banjara community performs different dangerous stunts on this fire according to the drum beats.
Best Places to Enjoy: Bikaner, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, and Jaipur.
Also Read : Topmost Places To Be Visited In Jaisalmer
Suggested Tour covering Jaisalmer :
10. Kathputli
Kathputli is a famous puppet dance show which is coming from centuries back. Through this Kathputli puppet dance show, they will narrate different mythological and tribal stories of the past. This puppet show showcases rich culture and traditional values of ancient days. In Rajasthan, for this puppetry dance form has great significance.
Best Places to Enjoy: Marwar region and also most of all villages in Rajasthan.
Also Read : Know about Marwar Festival of Jodhpur
Popular Traditional Folk Music of Rajasthan
11. Pabuji Ki Phach
Pabuji Ki Phach, a popular Rajasthani Folk music style in memory of great folk hero Pabuji in the 14th century who did a lot to the Bhopa community. Through this music form, they will describe the historic deeds of Pabuji.
Best Places to Enjoy: Places near to the Thar desert is the best option to enjoy this musical performance.
12. Maand
Maand is one of the most popular music styles in Rajasthan. This music form is known for the classical touch of different ragas in India and describing the greatness of folk heroes and kings of the past times of Rajasthan through the music.
Best Places to Enjoy: Jodhpur, Bikaner
Suggested Tour covering Jodhpur :
13. Panihari
Panihari is a different music form came from distress and difficulty to find water in the desert areas. This folk music was composed by Rajasthani women by describing the rushing rivers and waves in their songs. The songs of this music form praise for water and rains.
Best Places to Enjoy: Villages near to the Thar desert.
These are the few top popular folk dances and music forms all over India and the world. Every element and factor that are highlighted in these folk arts illustrates the significant traditional values and the past of Rajasthan.
Folk Musical Instruments in Rajasthan
Folk musical instruments give life to traditional dances and music of Rajasthan. Not even a small dance or music performance will not be attractive or enjoyable without these instruments. Here is the list of popular folk musical instruments in Rajasthan.
Stringed Instruments: Ektara, Morchang, Sarangi, Rawanhattha, and Kamayacha.
Percussion Instruments: Nagaras, Dhols, and Damrus in all sizes and shapes.
Flutes and Bag Pipes: Poongi, Algoza, Tarpi, Been, Bankia, and Shehnai.
Traditional Instruments: Baara, Jantar, Ghoralio, Thali, Garasiyas, Jaltall, etc are the different types of musical instruments which were the reason behind for the charm and glory of Folk music and dance.
Rajasthan Travel Guide
- How to Reach Rajasthan
- Best Time to visit Rajasthan
- Things to do in Rajasthan
- Delicious Cuisines of Rajasthan
- Wildlife Sanctuaries in Rajasthan
- Top 10 Colorful Markets in Rajasthan
- Famous Festivals and Events in Rajasthan
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Frequently Asked Questions
A. Rajasthan is known for having many forms of folk dances which are quite skillful and attractive. The most popular out of these are the Kalbeliya dance from Jaisalmer and the Ghoomar dance are belonging to Udaipur that are originated from various tribes and are a prime attraction for the tourists across the globe.
A. Rajasthan is considered to be as a royal state in India with a rich history in terms of its cultural heritage. One of the most portent part of this are the famous folk dances such as Ghoomar dance, Bhavai dance, KachicchiGodi Dance, Khalbeliya dance and lot more.
A. Rajasthan is an abode of ancient colorful traditions and customs that are aesthetically narrated and showcased through colorful dance performances. Out of the English list of dances, Ghoomar is now one of the most popular and recognised dance form of Rajasthan.
A. Ghoomar: Ghoomar is community traditional folk dance performed by women on several auspicious occasions suchas weddings, religious occasions and festivals in the state of Rajasthan.
A. Folk music has a major contribution to the diversity of Rajasthan, out of which Maand is considered to be one of the most sophisticated styles that describes the greatness of the kings and the warriors of the past.
A. Kalbeliya: This dance is performed on joyful occasions is performed by women only and the men provide the music.
Ghoomar: A traditional folk dance that was originally performed by the Bhil tribe while worshipping the Goddess Sarasvati and this form later got embraced by the other communities of Rajasthan.
A. The most popular folk dance of Rajasthan, Ghoomar was originated in the ancient capital of Rajasthan, during the historic times known as Marwar. This folk dance was traditionally performed by the Bhil tribe to worship the Goddess Sarasvati.
A. Indian folk dances are performed on various auspicious occasions with the sole motive to express happiness and joy among each other.
A. 1. Andra Pradesh: Kuchipodi
2. Assam: Bihu
3. Arunachal Pradesh: Lion and Peacock dance
4. Bihar: JataJatin
5. Chattisgarh: Panthi
6. Gujarat: Dandya Ras
7. Goa:Dhalo
8. Haryana: Swang
9. Himachal Pradesh: Munzra
10. Jammu and Kashmir: Rouf
11. Jharkhand: Karma
12. Karnataka: Yakshagana
13. Kerala: Kathakali
14. Lakshadweep: Lava
15. Madhya Pradesh: Macha
16. Mizoram: Chiraw
17. Manipur: Thang ta
18. Maharashtra: Tamasha
19. Odisha: Odissi
20. Puducherry: Garadi
21. Punjab: Bhangra
22. Rajasthan: Ghoomar
23. Sikkim: Singhi Cham
24. Tamil Nadu: Bharatnatyam
25. Telangana: Lambadi
26. Tripura: Hojagiri
27. Uttarakhand: Chholiya
28. Uttar Pradesh: Nautanki
29. West Bengal: Chau
A. There is no national folk dance of India but there are different forms of folk dances such as Bharanatyam, Kathak etc. that are well recognized within the country.
