Bundeli Utsav
Encyclopedia
Bundeli Utsav, a cultural festival to promote the Bundeli (Bundelkhandi) folk arts, is held in Village Basari Tehsil Rajnagar
District Chhatarpur
, Madhya Pradesh
, India
every year during the spring season for 7 days starting from Basant Panchmi. It is organized by Bundeli Vikas Sansthan, an NGO with a mission to performs various social activities and promote Bundeli culture, with the help of Government of Madhya Pradesh’s Department of Culture and Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation. Various competitions on folk arts, folk dances, folk songs, food festival, traditional games and archery events are organized during this festival. A large number of participants from 8 districts of Madhya Pradesh (Chhatarpur
, Datia
, Damoh
, Katni
, Narsinghpur
, Panna
, Sagar, Shivpuri
and Tikamgarh
) and 5 districts of Uttar Pradesh (Banda
, Hamirpur
, Jalaun
, Jhansi
and Lalitpur
) take part in these competitions.
Few of the most famous folk arts showcased by Bundeli Utsav are described below.
Folk Dances
1. Diwari : This dance in Bundelkhand is performed every year during the festival of light Diwali/Deepawali in the end of October or first week of November according to lunar calendar. In this connection the epic story goes that “in Gokul” when Lord Krishna raised Goverdhan Mountain on his finger to save his associates (milkmen), they danced in joy. The dancers wear multi-coloured apparels and the chief dancer holds the peacock feathers in his hands and the rest stick those feathers in their half pants. The main instruments used in this dance are ‘Dholak’ and ‘Nagaria’ (both being a form of drums). The male dancers with long sticks show the marshal arts when the beats of drums inspire their energy and emotions. This dance is also performed as a ‘thanks giving’ after harvesting.
2. Ravala : Ravala dance in Bundelkhand is basically a dance drama. The farm labour community of Bundelkhand performs Ravala during marriages. It is performed with very funny expressions and humorous dialogues. The audiences are entertained by these expressions of dance and the dialogues of drama.
3. Badhaiya : Badhaiya is a ceremonial dance. It is performed on child birth, marriages or any other child social get together to celebrate happiness and joy. The collective moments of dancers show the unique expressions of their faces. With rhythm and movements they greet for the occasion.
4. Raai : Through the centuries Raai has been the folk dance which has touched its peak as a classical dance. Later Raai had degenerated its aesthetical values and lost its classical expressions. Today it remains simply as a folk dance.
Raai means a mustard seed. When a mustard seed is thrown into a saucer, the seed starts to swings around. The way mustard seed moves in the saucer, the dancers also swings and when the singers sing the lyrics of the song the dancers follow the beats with foot steps. It is a duet and the competition is between the beats of the drum and foot steps of the dancer. The drummer and the dancer try to win each other and this competition leads towards the bliss.
5. Horse Dance : It is a ceremonial dance performed by a trained horse with the loud beats of heave drums called Rabbi. With graceful movements, the horse follows beats of the drum with its four steps and the horse rider performs the gymnastics gestures. Typically horse dance follows the ceremonial marriage processions.
Folk Dances
1. Faag : Faag songs and its rhythmic music could be heard in the whole Bundelkhand region during spring season when the crops are ready for harvesting. The spring season of March–April express the vibrant emotions which are hidden in the tender hearts of the youth, invites them to come close to fell each other and to express the mystical attachment between male and female. Finally emotions are transformed into devotion to make devotee divine.
2. Alha : Alha reciting is always organized to entertain the farmers during monsoon. When farmers are free from their agricultural jobs during heavy monsoon and they cannot move anywhere, sitting at one place Alha recital makes their emotions awake through the description of heroic deeds of their historical heroes.
3. Dadre and Gari : This is the main folk lore of Bundelkhand. As a ‘Gari’ they show the happiness and joy to express their feeling for the blissful movement when the auspicious marriage is taking place. They evoke the feelings in the heart of bride and groom with love and romance. ‘Dadre’ is sung by a group of ladies to bless the newly wed couple.
4. Lamtera : (Call of God) Lamtera songs are sung by Bundeli pilgrims during devotional festivals of Bundelkhand in the month of January, February and March after rabi crop in winter blossoms. Farmers after seeing their crops flowering, their hearts and minds also bloom like a flower. To show their gratitude to the God, the devotees offer the flowers of their emotions to the lotus feet of the God. They realize that the whole year passed in day to day life, and with the feeling of spring season they want to get blessed by going to the pilgrimage places, temples and to take the holy bath in the rivers.
5. Khyal : In ‘Khyal Gayaki’, a singer recites mythical stories, heroic deeds, the social events and the deep family relations. In this expression of songs, a very special drum ‘Dhapli’ gives very special beats which harmonize emotions.
6. Kaharwa : In the expression of folk lore Kaharwa, the sentiments of heart culminate into the romantic expression. This song is always sung by a drummer who follows the dancer of Raai, which is why this dance is also known as Raai-Kaharwa.
Rajnagar
Rajnagar may refer to:Places* Rajnagar Upazila a subdivision in Maulvibazar District, Bangladesh* Rajnagar Bihar, a town in Madhubani District, Bihar, India* Rajnagar, Chhatarpur, a town in Madhya Pradesh, India...
District Chhatarpur
Chhatarpur
Chhatarpur is a city and a municipality in Chhatarpur district in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. It is the administrative headquarters of Chhatarpur District.- History :...
, Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
every year during the spring season for 7 days starting from Basant Panchmi. It is organized by Bundeli Vikas Sansthan, an NGO with a mission to performs various social activities and promote Bundeli culture, with the help of Government of Madhya Pradesh’s Department of Culture and Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation. Various competitions on folk arts, folk dances, folk songs, food festival, traditional games and archery events are organized during this festival. A large number of participants from 8 districts of Madhya Pradesh (Chhatarpur
Chhatarpur
Chhatarpur is a city and a municipality in Chhatarpur district in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. It is the administrative headquarters of Chhatarpur District.- History :...
, Datia
Datia
Datia is a small rural town and a municipality in Datia district in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. It is the administrative center of Datia District. It was formerly the seat of the eponymous princely state in the British Raj. Datia is situated near Gwalior and on the border with Uttar...
, Damoh
Damoh
Damoh is a city in the Sagar Division of northeast Madhya Pradesh in India, east of state capital Bhopal and in north by Tikamgarh. It is the administrative headquarters of Damoh District.-Geography:...
, Katni
Katni
Katni is a town on the banks of the Katni River in Madhya Pradesh, India. It is the administrative headquarters of Katni District. It is located in the Mahakoshal Region of Central India. The city is away from the Divisional Headquarters of the region, Jabalpur...
, Narsinghpur
Narsinghpur
Narsinghpur or Narsimhapur is a town in Madhya Pradesh state of central India. Narsinghpur is the administrative headquarters of Narsinghpur District....
, Panna
Panna
Panna can refer to:* Aam panna, an Indian drink made from mangoes* Panna, Madhya Pradesh, a city in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India* Panna district, a district in Sagar Division of Madhya Pradesh, India* Panna National Park, in Madhya Pradesh, India...
, Sagar, Shivpuri
Shivpuri
Shivpuri is a city and a municipality in Shivpuri district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is in the Gwalior Division of northwest Madhya Pradesh and is the administrative headquarters of Shivpuri District. It is situated at an altitude of above sea level.-History:Shivpuri is an ancient...
and Tikamgarh
Tikamgarh
Tikamgarh is a city and a tehsil, in Tikamgarh district, Madhya Pradesh, it also the district headquarter. The earlier name of the town was 'Tehri' consisting of three hamlets, forming a rough triangle. In the Tikamgarh town there is muhalla still known as 'Purani Tehri'...
) and 5 districts of Uttar Pradesh (Banda
Banda District
Banda district is a district of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Banda is the district headquarters. It is a part of Chitrakoot Division.Banda is famous for its Shajar stone, used for making jewellery, and the historically and architecturally significant sites Khajuraho and Kalinjar. Khajuraho is...
, Hamirpur
Hamirpur
Hamirpur is the name of two cities and two districts in India:* Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh, the administrative headquarters of Hamirpur District, Himachal Pradesh* Hamirpur district, Himachal Pradesh...
, Jalaun
Jalaun
Jalaun is a city and a municipal board in Jalaun district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.The town was formerly the residence of a Maratha governor, but never the headquarters of the district, which are at Orai.-History:...
, Jhansi
Jhansi
Jhansi Hindi:झाँसी, , Marathi: झाशी, is a historical city of India. Jhansi is the administrative headquarters of Jhansi District and Jhansi Division. The original walled city grew up around its stone fort, which crowns a neighboring rock. This district is on the bank of river Betwa.The National...
and Lalitpur
Lalitpur District, Uttar Pradesh
Lalitpur District is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India. Lalitpur district is a part of Jhansi Division. Lalitpur is the main town and administrative headquarters. The district occupies an area of 5,039 km²....
) take part in these competitions.
Few of the most famous folk arts showcased by Bundeli Utsav are described below.
Folk Dances
1. Diwari : This dance in Bundelkhand is performed every year during the festival of light Diwali/Deepawali in the end of October or first week of November according to lunar calendar. In this connection the epic story goes that “in Gokul” when Lord Krishna raised Goverdhan Mountain on his finger to save his associates (milkmen), they danced in joy. The dancers wear multi-coloured apparels and the chief dancer holds the peacock feathers in his hands and the rest stick those feathers in their half pants. The main instruments used in this dance are ‘Dholak’ and ‘Nagaria’ (both being a form of drums). The male dancers with long sticks show the marshal arts when the beats of drums inspire their energy and emotions. This dance is also performed as a ‘thanks giving’ after harvesting.
2. Ravala : Ravala dance in Bundelkhand is basically a dance drama. The farm labour community of Bundelkhand performs Ravala during marriages. It is performed with very funny expressions and humorous dialogues. The audiences are entertained by these expressions of dance and the dialogues of drama.
3. Badhaiya : Badhaiya is a ceremonial dance. It is performed on child birth, marriages or any other child social get together to celebrate happiness and joy. The collective moments of dancers show the unique expressions of their faces. With rhythm and movements they greet for the occasion.
4. Raai : Through the centuries Raai has been the folk dance which has touched its peak as a classical dance. Later Raai had degenerated its aesthetical values and lost its classical expressions. Today it remains simply as a folk dance.
Raai means a mustard seed. When a mustard seed is thrown into a saucer, the seed starts to swings around. The way mustard seed moves in the saucer, the dancers also swings and when the singers sing the lyrics of the song the dancers follow the beats with foot steps. It is a duet and the competition is between the beats of the drum and foot steps of the dancer. The drummer and the dancer try to win each other and this competition leads towards the bliss.
5. Horse Dance : It is a ceremonial dance performed by a trained horse with the loud beats of heave drums called Rabbi. With graceful movements, the horse follows beats of the drum with its four steps and the horse rider performs the gymnastics gestures. Typically horse dance follows the ceremonial marriage processions.
Folk Dances
1. Faag : Faag songs and its rhythmic music could be heard in the whole Bundelkhand region during spring season when the crops are ready for harvesting. The spring season of March–April express the vibrant emotions which are hidden in the tender hearts of the youth, invites them to come close to fell each other and to express the mystical attachment between male and female. Finally emotions are transformed into devotion to make devotee divine.
2. Alha : Alha reciting is always organized to entertain the farmers during monsoon. When farmers are free from their agricultural jobs during heavy monsoon and they cannot move anywhere, sitting at one place Alha recital makes their emotions awake through the description of heroic deeds of their historical heroes.
3. Dadre and Gari : This is the main folk lore of Bundelkhand. As a ‘Gari’ they show the happiness and joy to express their feeling for the blissful movement when the auspicious marriage is taking place. They evoke the feelings in the heart of bride and groom with love and romance. ‘Dadre’ is sung by a group of ladies to bless the newly wed couple.
4. Lamtera : (Call of God) Lamtera songs are sung by Bundeli pilgrims during devotional festivals of Bundelkhand in the month of January, February and March after rabi crop in winter blossoms. Farmers after seeing their crops flowering, their hearts and minds also bloom like a flower. To show their gratitude to the God, the devotees offer the flowers of their emotions to the lotus feet of the God. They realize that the whole year passed in day to day life, and with the feeling of spring season they want to get blessed by going to the pilgrimage places, temples and to take the holy bath in the rivers.
5. Khyal : In ‘Khyal Gayaki’, a singer recites mythical stories, heroic deeds, the social events and the deep family relations. In this expression of songs, a very special drum ‘Dhapli’ gives very special beats which harmonize emotions.
6. Kaharwa : In the expression of folk lore Kaharwa, the sentiments of heart culminate into the romantic expression. This song is always sung by a drummer who follows the dancer of Raai, which is why this dance is also known as Raai-Kaharwa.