The Northeast is a region of immense diversity. It is home to many tribes and communities with distinct cultures and traditions. Each state in the Northeast hosts several tribes, and Tripura is no exception. The state has many different tribes and communities, producing an explosion of a diverse range of traditional practices. These tribes live a simple and joyful life, valuing family and community life. As a result, dance plays a significant role in traditional celebrations, bringing together the entire community.
1. Bizhu Dance
The Bizhu dance is performed by the Chakmas, a community with origins in the Chittagong hill tracts. It is performed during the Bizhu festival, a three day festival that marks the commencement of the new year for the Chakmas.
The vibrant dance is a feast for all the senses to enjoy. It is performed in perfect sync by groups consisting of both men and women. The female performers sparkle in silver jewellery while dressed in the traditional combination of pinon and khadi, while the male performers wear a dhoti and jacket along with headgear called khabang which complements their outfit.
The dance itself represents simple folk themes, and consists of easy movements. The performers dance to the tunes of traditional music, with flutes and drums called the dhol and bhaajhi setting the beat and rhythm of the music. Native instruments like the khenggerang and dhudhuk, which are crafted out of the North East’s abundant bamboo, are also used.
2. Hojagiri Dance
The Hojagiri is a dance performed by the Tripuri people of the Bru Reang clan and is a part of the Hojagiri festival, which falls on the full moon night after Durga Pooja. The festival celebrates the powers of Lakshmi Devi, known as Goddess Mailuma amongst the community.
The dance is executed perfectly by young women and girls wearing a black coloured combination of the Pachra and Rea, the traditional attire for Tripuri women. The performers dance in perfect sync, poised on plates and earthen pots while balancing a lamps called ‘Kalash’ on their heads and in their hands. They dance beautifully and slowly, skillfully moving their lower bodies gracefully while balancing themselves and the lamps on their heads. The women dance to music from the Khamb, a bamboo flute and bamboo cymbals.
3. Goria Dance
The Goria is a part of the festival of Goria pooja, a Tripuri festival celebrating the sowing of new crops, which usually falls in April. The dancers- both men and women- perform it while moving from village to village. It is accompanied by drums and flutes and the tempo of the music and the speed of the performance picks up as the dancers move further away from the initial location.
4. Maimita Dance
The Maimita is traditionally performed by the men and women of the Tripuri, Jamatia and Noatia people. It is a part of the Mamita festival, which celebrates the first harvest. The men wear dhotis and a headdress while the women wear the Pachra and Rea. Traditionally, the clothes are vividly coloured, with combinations of white and red or other bright colours. The performers can also carry and play cymbals made of bamboo to complement the dance. The dance is complemented by a folk song sung by a man with a traditional flute and drums playing in the background.
5. Jhum Dance
The Jhum is performed during the Sangrai festival in Tripura by the Mog community. Youngsters of the community travel through villages, moving from house to house carrying the sacred Kalapataru tree on their heads. They dress traditionally and dance their way through the village, accompanied by singing and instruments.
6. Lebang Boomani Dance
The Lebang Boomani is a folk dance performed by the Moi people of Tripura. The dance is performed during the lull in agricultural activity before the monsoons. The dance depicts the procedure of catching lebangs, insects that come to the farms in search of seeds. Dressed in traditional attire, male and female performers dance together. The men play long bamboo cymbals called tokkas while the women wave colourful scarves to catch the lebangs. It is believed that the number of lebangs caught is directly proportional to the success of the crop.
7. Masak Sumani Dance
The Masak Sumani is a dance performed by the Tripuri, Noatia and Murasing communities. It is a part of the hunting rituals performed when villages of men go out together to hunt. Both men and women perform while dressed in traditional attire with hunting equipment. It is a lively dance, depicting the actions of hunting in sync with catchy folk music in the background.
8. Hai Hak Dance
The Hai Hak dance is performed by the Halam community of the Kuki people in Tripura. The dance is performed at the end of the harvest season to invoke the blessings of Goddess Lakshmi.
9. Gajan Dance
The Gajan dance is a part of the Gajan festival of the Bengali community in Tripura. The festival heralds the coming of the new year of the Bengali calendar. It celebrates the traits of Lord Shiva and the ideals of devotion and sacrifice. The dance is an integral part of this festival- people dress up as Lord Shiva, Parvathi, Durga and other Hindu Gods and goddesses and dance to the beats of the drum, singing and listening to the praises of Shiva.
Conclusion
The folk dances of Tripura are a testament to the diversity of the local culture and traditions. They are celebrations of simple folk cultures that have stood the test of time; they not only entertain but also serve as a means to preserve the unique cultural heritage of the tribes. In our fast-paced, globalised world, it is high time that we appreciate folk art and dance forms that showcase the culture of our country in their simple and unique fashion.
