Popular folk dances of Jammu and Kashmir

The Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir is rich in scenic beauty topped with snow-capped mountains along with verdant farms. The people living here are indeed fortunate to experience the gift of the Mother Nature.

 Kud

 This dance is mainly performed to pay obeisance to the Lok Devtas. This dance is performed during nights under the luminance of the stars. Twenty to thirty odd performers dance to express their joy and thank the Almighty.Age and sex is no barrier to perform this dance. There are many twisting movements in this performance that enthralls the audience. This dance form starts during the night and goes on till the wee hours of the morning. There are several musical instruments that are used as supplements to the music on which the dance is performed.Kud folk dance highlights the connoisseurs of the princely states and Jammu and Kashmir was one of them. The dance performed during rainy seasons is used by the farmers to praise and thank the Lord for the protection of their livestock and harvest during the extreme conditions.

Bacha Nagma Dance

 

 This dance is an entertainment for the people during their old age. Generally young boys dress up in a long skirt and dance gracefully. This dance is performed during festivals and occasions. The dancers generally wear colorful attire.This dance is also performed during the harvest season. The dancers are generally six to seven in number and sway gracefully to the mellifluous tune sung generally by the lead dancer himself. In some parts of the state this dance is also called as the Bacha Gyavaun meaning young mellifluous and harmonious voice.

 

Dumhal Dance

 

 

 

This dance form is of devotional type and is extremely among folk dances of Jammu and Kashmir. It is famous for the vibrant costumes along with a decorative conical cap that dancers wear. Generally this dance is performed by the males belonging to the tribe Wattal.A ceremonial process takes place before the dance. Initially men dance with banners in their hands and dig the ground and place the banners. After this the actual dance begins. The men generally revolve around this banner during the dance.This dance is performed only during special occasions and the dancers sing the song with the occasional beat of the rhythm running in the background.

 

Rouf Dance

 

 This is a spring time dance. This dance is performed by the women community wearing colorful costumes. This dance is practiced during the occasions of Eid and Ramzan. Women generally line up face to face in this dance. One of the most notable features is their intricate footwork during the dance which is called as Chakri in the local language.This dance is practiced with mystical poetry and the dancers dance in sync with the rhythm of the poem. The popularity of this folk dance in Jammu and Kashmir can be gauged by the fact that the dance form made its way into the famous movie “Mission Kashmir”.