Chanchari dance is a folk dance practiced in the borders of Kumaun and Garhwal regions of Uttarakhand state of India. The term Chanchari is derived from the Sanskrit word "Charchari" which means song integrated with dance rhythm. This traditional free style dance is similar to Jhoda dance of Uttarkhand- Garhwal. The subject of the dance mostly revolves around love rapture. These songs are sung in various occasions like fairs, festivals etc. This dance also attracts huge crowd during fairs.
Performance of Chanchari Dance
Chanchari is a group dance wherein both males and females dancers take part. The dance is performed by forming a circle. One half of the circle consists of men and the other half consists of women. The circle is formed by locking hands. A Hudkiya (small drum player) along with his assistants sits in the centre of the circle and play on quaint instruments alternately. The drummer, who also acts as the director of the dance, accompanies the other performers by singing songs along with them. When required he also guides them while dancing. The dance can be performed in any plain place or at any time depending upon the situation. The audience enjoys the dance and the rhythm of the dance and roars into approval at regular intervals.
Presentation of Chanchari Songs
The songs can be sung by both men and female. The songs begin with prayers to God or auspicious words. Thereafter, introduction and diverse contexts are sung. The presentation of the songs takes place in the form of question and answer between two lead singers. A single Chanchari song can continue for many hours. In general, the subjects of the song hover around love themes but in the earlier days the themes also focussed on religious and inspirational topics.
Costumes of Chanchari Dance
This dance is very famous in the said regions. In addition to the lyrics and dance movements, the costume is another reason for its popularity. The female dancers wear traditional colourful dress and decorate themselves with minimal ornaments like necklace, ear ring and bangle. The male dancers too wear traditional attire accompanied with a traditional sidecap which is pointed in front and back.
