SWIRLING COLOURS, THUMPING BEATS

THE FOLK DANCE OF GUJARAT HAS TRANSCENDED BORDERS TO BECOME A CULTURAL SYMBOL OF CELEBRATION LIKE NONE OTHER

- ARCHANA KHARE-GHOSE

HARSINGAR—ALSO KNOWN as shiuli or parijat—has blossomed; its blooming emblematic of a turn in the seasons when autumn festivals follow in quick succession. It evokes the clacking of Dandiya sticks in the communal, boisterous dance that reaches a crescendo with the nine-day Navratri festival.

Navratri has great regional variations, even though the basis of all is the worship of Shakti or the divine feminine. At the more earthy level, it’s the Dandiya Raas that mortal beings wait for breathlessly to be performed right under the watchful eye of the goddess.

Dandiya Raas, in contemporary times, is no stranger to any part of India. In fact, it has travelled to every nook and corner of this country, with considerable help from the Hindi film industry and the pan-India release of albums featuring songs specifically composed for the purpose. One of the memorable and early picturisations of Dandiya on the silver screen was the religious dance number "O! Sheronwali," in the 1979 Hindi film "Suhag," featuring Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha. It showcased Dandiya Raas as it was originally meant to be, performed in a slow beat with dancers twirling in circles while singing praise of the goddess.