dance of india

Dance forms in India :
Folk music and tradition is the rich heritage of modern India. Despite the advent of technology, open communication and developments in all fields, the area of fine arts still gives a proud picture of our India. Dance is a part of celebration and is the intrinsic part of Indian glory. There are folk dances which are distinct and distinguished as per the geography. This also calls for a lot of make up talents and attire which only enhances the beauty of the dance and song.
Indian dance forms have traveled internationally and there are many academies of Indian dance forms abroad. The participation is a great impetus to the tradition of India and a boon for the NRI’s who love associating themselves with Indian culture. Bharatnatyam is the most renowned form of dance from the South. Kept alive by sincere efforts of traditional gurus and the allegiance of many students, this is a dance form which is almost a religion to many who revere it.

The Bharatanatyam dance is usually done with bent knees in a forward position and has the opportunity of display the Nav Ras or the emotions. The make up style and attire is very typical and hence allows a lot of expression. Kuchupidi is a characteristic dance form again from the south. Kathakali and has a lot to do like enacting a play and the use of mask, gear and get up. There are many schools that impart training and seeking this form of dance knowledge is a journey by itself.
The ghumar dance of Rajashtan is a lot about rotation and typical palm movements. The ghungrus and the ghungat impart more style to this type of dance. The Lavani of Maharasthra is now being revoked by sincere people and the type of dance is now again getting traditional in its concept without being polluted by other influences. The gharba dance which was a form of raas by the gopis and Krishna is now being followed in all parts of India. There is enough commercialization in the 9 day festival in metros and the participation is done on a wide scale.

The Manipuri and Oddissi dance is very ethnic in its concept. There are a number of folk dances which still happen in the villages where the authentic lifestyle of rural India is displayed. Dance is the main form of artistic entertainment along with folk songs and other influences that is brought in by cinema. Acknowledging the subtle distinguishing points, the essence of Indian dance form is pure and unique.


India is a land of diverse cultures. The variations in physical, climatic conditions and the extent of exposure to other cultures have greatly influenced the traditions and culture of the different regions. There is an underlying basic factor common to the whole of India, with variations in the practices based on their local needs and influences. Further, the greatness of India has been in accepting the best from all the invaders and intermingling the new customs and styles with the existing - this is visible in all aspects - music, dance, painting, sculptures, architecture.
This article, an excerpt from the introduction to the book "The Art and Architecture of India" by Benjamin Rowland puts it all in a nutshell.
The history of India and its art has been so bound up with the geographic nature of this vast continent that something must be said of these physical characteristics. India has a kind of impregnable geographic isolation. It is in the shape of a great sealed funnel extending from the heartland of Asia. This peculiar shape of the peninsula made for an inevitable retention and absorption of all the racial and cultural elements that poured into it. The peninsula is bounded on the west by the Indian ocean; on the east by the Bay of Bengal. Along the northern frontier India is almost sealed off from the Asiatic mainland by the rocky curtain of the Himalayas from Baluchistan to Assam. The only openings in this formidable natural fortification are the various passes of the north-west, such as the famous Khyber and Bolan passes, which wind through the mountains seperating India from the Iranian plateau. Through these gaps came all the migrating tribes and conquerors that made themselves masters of the rich plain of India.
The cultural divisions of India proper have always been determined and dominated by the great river systems, the watersheds of the Indus and Ganges, the Deccan plateau and South India.
Climate, no less than geography has played its part in the development of the peculiarly indigenous traits of Indian history and art. All the races of martial character have grown up in the dry and hilly districts of north-west and centre, whereas the fertile plains of Bengal and South have been inhabited by peaceful and unwarlike cultivators.
The overpowering nature of India has in a way forced upon the inhabitants an inability to act, a situation responsible for the Indian races having become lost in religiosity.
The mystery of Indian myths and Indian art lies partly in the fact that it suggests rather than states. It could truly be said that Indian symbols of art voiced the same truth as Indian philosophy and myth.
In India, all art, like all life, is given over to religion. Indian art is life, as interpreted by religion and philosophy.
Indian art may, in a general way, be described as theological, hieratic, or, perhaps best of all as traditional. The purpose of Indian art, like all traditional art, is primarily to instruct men in the great first causes, which according to the seers, govern the material, spiritual and celestial worlds. Art is dedicated to communicating these great truths to mankind and, by the architectural, sculptural and pictorial reconstruction of the powers that maintain the stars in their courses.


Yah, the effect of western culture has changed Indian youth a lot. It has its own positive & negative side. To live in this completive world we have to make our self compatible to adopt the changing life style if it seems to be very comfortable.
The effect of Western culture in Indian youth can be seen in most of the actives as dressing, food habits, the way of moving with others and even western dance has gained its popularity among Indian youth.
We people usually underestimate our country and overestimate foreign countries. Usually we prefer to buy foreign products from perfume to car bcos we think those products were more quality than ours. There is something to learn from the foreigners as keeping the environment clean & not to throw the waste on the roadside. But we Indians follow these rules & regulations in their country but forget to implement in our country.
And in this mechanical world we r slowly forgetting our traditional culture which may not be known to our future generation.

So, it is in the hand of Indian youth to suck only the needed things from the western culture and leave the waste that is not needed.
One thing we have see when a person in saw industry can produce a errorless code why cant he make a country a clean free. The culture always lies in citizens. People always take things for granted. They choose a method that is quite easy. For e.g. in joint family he has to adjust with everybody but in the case of nuclear family he is free bird with less responsibility. If we citizens are able to adapt easily to the western wear why can’t we follow the same culture in maintaining the quality product, enjoying life-giving freedom for women and giving an equal respect to others