Tripuri Dances
Encyclopedia
Tripura
Tripura is a state in North-East India, with an area of . It is the third smallest state of India, according to area. Tripura is surrounded by Bangladesh on the north, south, and west. The Indian states of Assam and Mizoram lie to the east. The capital is Agartala and the main languages spoken are...
in North East 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...
. The Tripuri people through the Royal family of the Debbarma
Debbarma
Debbarma is the surname or the title generally used by the Borok people, indigenous people of Tripura, a state in India. The mother tongue of this ethnic group is Kokborok.and Bengali-Variations:...
s ruled the state of Tripura for more than 1400 years till the kingdom joined the Indian Union in 1949. The Tripuris constitute the weightiest section of the entire indigenous population of the State of Tripura.
The important dances of the Tripuris are:
- Goria Dance
- Huk kaimani Dance
- Lebang bumani Dance
- Hojagiri Dance
- UaUAUA or ua may refer to:* Unmanned Aircraft* Universal Audio Inc, a designer and manufacturer of audio signal processing hardware and software.* German submarine U-A, a German submarine of the Second World War...
Bamboo dance
Goria Dance
The life and culture of Tripuris revolve around Jhum (slash and burn) cultivation. When the sowing of seeds at a plot of land selected for Jhum is over by middle of April, they pray to the GodGod
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
'Goria' for a happy harvest. The celebrations attached to the Goria Puja
Goria Puja
The Baba Goria is the universal God of all indigenous Tripuris. Goria Ter is observed for seven days commencing from last day of Chaitra proceeded by Hari Buisu. The first day of the puja is called Moha Buisu and the day of immersion is called Sena...
continue for seven days when they seek to entertain their beloved deity with song and dance.
Lebang Bumani Dance
After the Goria festival is over, the Tripuris have a time to rest awaiting the monsoon. During this period, folks of charming colorful insects called 'Lebang' use to visit hill slopes in search of seeds sewn on it. The annual visit of the insects renders the tribal youths to indulge in merry-making. While the men-folk make a peculiar rhythmic sound with the help of two bamboo chips in their hand, the women folk run tottering the hill slopes to catch hold of these insects called Lebang. The rhythm of the sound made by the bamboo chips attracts the insects from their hiding places and the women in-groups catch them. With the change of time jhuming on hill slopes are gradually diminishing. But the cultural life that developed centering round the jhum delved deep into the society. It still exists in the state's hills and dales as a reminiscence of the life, which the tribal of today cherish in memory, and preserve as treasure. In both the dances Tripuris use the musical instruments like Kham (the Kokborok word for drum) made of bamboo, SumuiSumui
The sumui is one of the most ancient and commonly played instruments in the musical tradition of Tripura. Sumui, is the most perfect and least mechanical of all the instruments. The sumui is very dear to the tribes of Tripura. It is made of bamboo. There are two types of sumui, one having 7 holes...
(flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
), Sarinda
Sarinda
A sarinda is a stringed Indian folk musical instrument similar to lutes or fiddles. It is played with a bow and has three strings. The bottom part of the front of its hollow wooden soundbox is covered with animal skin...
, Lebang made of bamboo and bamboo cymbal
Cymbal
Cymbals are a common percussion instrument. Cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various alloys; see cymbal making for a discussion of their manufacture. The greater majority of cymbals are of indefinite pitch, although small disc-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs sound a...
. Tripuri women generally put on indigenous ornaments like chain made of silver with coin, Bangle made of silver, ear and nose rings made of bronze. They prefer flower as ornaments.