TELANGANA FOLK DANCE



MATHURI DANCE
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Mathuri is a famous tribal dances of Telangana this dance originated from mathura which is percolated into Telangana. This is performed by both male & female dancers during the festivals.
Mathuri is a beautiful and fast tribal dance which is takes the first place in Andhra pradesh and in our country also. This was the only respresented which in "India In Saarc International" festival held at kerala in 1992 and Specialized Iner-Parliamentary Confernece on "TOWARDS PATNERSHP BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN IN POLITICS-97" held at New Delhi. Mathuri dance is also represented to Andhra Pradesh inthe year of 2001 at Gujarath in National Youth Festival.

LAMBADI  DANCE
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Lambadi dance one of the famous tribal dances of AndhraPradesh, this dance originated from Rajasthan and settled in our state during the period of King Rana Prathap. In this dance music is very attractive and costumes are very colourful and dressy. This dance is performed to celebrate festivals like Holi, Dassera, Deepavalli and other happy ocassions.

BONALU DANCE
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Bonam means Bojanam or a Meal in Telugu, is an Offering to Mother Goddess. Women prepare rice cooked with Milk, Jaggery in a New Brass or Earthen Pot adorned with -Neem Leaves, Turmeric, Vermilion and a Lighted Diya on the top of the Pot. Women carry the pots on their heads and make offering of Bonam along with Turmeric-Vermilion, Bangles and Saree to the Mother Goddess across the Temples.Bonalu involves the worship of Kali and her various forms. Goddess is worshiped as Mysamma, Pochamma, Yellamma, Pedamma, Dokkalamma, Ankalamma, Poleramma, Maremma, Nookalamma etc. The history of the origin of this festival traces back to the 19th Century, and is linked with the "Regimental Bazaar" and the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. In the year 1813, plague disease broke out in the twin cities, and this took away the lives of thousands of people. Just before this, a military battalion from Hyderabad was deployed to Ujjain. When this Hyderabadian Military Battalion got to know about the epidemic in the cities, they prayed to the Mother Goddess in Mahankaal Temple - Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. History tells us, that this military battalion prayed to Goddess Mahankaali, to kill plague, and if the Goddess would do so, they had decided to install and idol of Goddess Mahankaali in the city. It is believed that Mahankaali destroyed the disease and kept pestilence at arms length. Then, the military battalion returned to the city & installed an idol of the goddess, which was followed by the offering of Bonalu to her. Hence, from then, this had turned a tradition, which has been followed and is still being followed by all the people belonging to Telangana.

BATHUKAMMA  DANCE
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Bathukamma is floral festival celebrated by the Hindu women of Telangana. Every year this festival is celebrated as per Telugu version of Hindu calendar in the Bhadrapada Amavasya, also known as Mahalaya Amavasya, usually in September–October of Gregorian calendar. Bathukamma is celebrated for nine days during Durga Navratri. It starts on the day of Mahalaya Amavasya and the 9-day festivities will culminate on "Saddula Bathukamma" or "Pedda Bathukamma" festival on Ashwayuja Ashtami, popularly known as Durgashtami which is two days before Dussehra. Bathukamma is followed by Boddemma, which is a 7-day festival. Boddemma festival that marks the ending of Varsha Ruthu whereas Bathukamma festival indicates the beginning of Sarad or Sharath Ruthu Bathukamma represents cultural spirit of Telangana. Bathukamma is a beautiful flower stack, arranged with different unique seasonal flowers most of them with medicinal values, in seven concentric layers in the shape of temple gopuram. In Telugu, ‘Bathukamma' means ‘Mother Goddess come Alive’ and Goddess Maha Gauri-‘Life Giver’ is worshipped in the form of Bathukamma – the patron goddess of womanhood, Maha Gauri Devi.

KOYA  DANCE
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The Koya tribes of Telangana forests have strong affinity with Marias, tribes wearing bison-horn head dress in Bastar. Their dances have the same forest tribal rites, ritual, magical significance and an identical energy.

Their dances include Mayura Nat (Peacock dance) exclusively performed by men, Harvesting Festival dances performed in the month of April every year.

The dance is done in small steps, forming complex patterns on intricate rhythmical phrases of half-beats and quarter beats. The musical and rhythmic accompaniments mainly consist of the Pioodi and Mayunga. Pioodi is a flute of three feet bamboo stick with five holes on the end.

PERINI (A SEMI-CLASSICAL ) DANCE
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Perini Tandavam is the dace of the warriors. The dance derives its name from "prerana", which means inspiration. The warriors performed this dance before the idol of Lord Nataraja, as a mode of worship, before leaving for the battlefield with the motto of invoking Shiva to dance through them. The dance begins with gargara and concludes with a Shiva Panchamukha Shabda Nartanam in praise of Lord Shiva. The performers dance vigorously to the sound of laya from the beat of the drums. This continues till they feel the power of Shiva in their bodies and thus derive the inspiration. The dance thus can be said to be of both a spiritual and an artistic significance. The dance was in vogue and was patronised in the reign of the kings of Kakatiya Dynasty in Warangal. This is well evident from the fine sculptures of this dance at the Ramappa temple in Palempet.

DAPPU  DANCE
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Made of goatskin, a tambourine-like drum is beaten with sticks creating a rhythm that is softened only by the ankle bells that the 16 to 20 dancers wear. Part of a Telangana custom which sees the Dappu dancers at the front of any procession, whether it be for jataras, festivals or marriages, this is truly a celebration of the percussive powers of dance. This lively art form hails from Nizamabad District. The performers wear colorful make-up and even more colorful costumes dance to the musical patterns set by cymbals, tabla and a harmonium. Mythological themes are usually enacted and the audience are the rurals.It is one of janapada kalalu.

GUSSADI  DANCE
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Deepavali is the biggest festival for the Raj Gonds of Adilabad district. As the harvest is over and the season is cool and congenial the Gonds dressed in colourful costumes and decorated with ornaments go to neighbouring villages in troupes, singing and dancing. Such troupes are called Dandari dance troupes. Each troupe consist of twenty to forty members. 'Gusadi' is a part of Dandari and consists of two to five members. This starts on the full moon day and goes on till the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of Deepavali. Each member puts on a turban of peacock feathers and horns of the deer, artificial beard and moustaches and goatskin to cover the body. Dappu, tudumu, pipri and kalikom are the accompaniments. The Dandari troupe dance accompanied by beats of gumela reaches its climax with regulated steps and rhythm in a circular form.