This is the most spectacular dance performance, which is widely performed in the Braj region of Uttar Pradesh, by the Brahman Community of the villages in Mathura district. It is a dramatic dance performance that is visually attractive. In the performance of Charkula, veiled women balance a large multi-tiered circular wooden pyramid on their heads and dance in various steps. The wooden pyramid is lighted with 108 oil lamps. This women, dance on the `rasiya` songs of the Lord Krishna.

Charkula dance is especially performed on the third day after the Holi festival, which is the Dooj, since this was the day, when Radha, was born. According to a famous legend, Radha`s grandmother ran out of the house, keeping the charkula on her head to announce the birth of Radha, in pleasure & joy of the birth of her granddaughter. Since then, Charkula has formed as a popular dance form of Brajbhoomi and here; it is performed during various festivals.

Charkula is therefore a traditional folk dance of Braj. The charkula is a tapered wooden column with four to five circular tiers. On each level it has lighted earthen lamps, whose number may range from 51 to 108 ones. In the dance performance female dancers tactfully balance a column of lighted deepikas over their heads while dancing. The dancers balancing the charkula on their head move with swift and graceful movements on the tune of music.