Santhali Folk Dance of Jharkhand

Folk Dance Santhali :-

Santhali dance is a popular folk dance practiced by Santhal tribes in Jharkhand.  This dance form has attained popularity all across India and also has been featured in many reputed Bengali cinemas like `Agantuk` by Satyajit Ray. This folk dance not only projects the culture or traditions of the local tribes but also showcases the strength of unity. 

Santhal is one of the most abundantly found tribes in India. A major chunk of this tribe can be found in West Bengal and Jharkhand. Santhal tribe has a rich cultural lineage and immense solidarity. Its members are basically the devotees of 'Thakurji', the deity they believe created this world. They move to the beats of music, to celebrate the glory of nature, raise a message and offer prayers to the presiding deity of their tribe, through a dance known as Santhal dance. It is also practiced to welcome guests.

Santhal dance is generally performed by both the men and women. The dancers form a circle or semi-circle. The male and female dancers dance in separate rows in sequence with their arms interlocked. Through this dance form, the dancers express one`s feelings, some story, issues or any other event. It often covers issues related to gender and land rights. This dance is supposed to be a replica of the folk dance of Madhya Pradesh It is very similar to the bamboo folk dance of Assam and Mizoram

Musical Instrument Used In  Santhali :-

The dance is accompanied by various instruments such as flutes, drums, pipes and cymbals. The musicians who play these instruments make the colourful environment of the festival more charming and attractive. Moreover, the singers also put the right chord with the rhythm.

Costumes of Santhali Dance:-

The male dancers wear dhoti and turban, and decorate their bodies with branches of trees, leaves and flowers. Since the Santhals are believed to be close to nature, they use natural decors such as leaves, branches and flowers to do their make-up and design their clothes. The women dancers usually wear white or yellow sarees with red borders and adorn their hair with wild flowers. The length of the saree is about three inches above the heel. The colourful costumes worn by the tribal people happen to be the main attraction of the Santhali dance in Jharkhand.

Picture of Santhali Dance :-

Video's of Santhali Dance :-