Bihu dance: Difference between revisions

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The '''Bihu dance''' is an indigenous [[folk dance]] from the [[India]]n state of [[Assam]] related to the [[Bihu]] festival and an important part of [[Assamese Culture|Assamese culture]]. Performed in a group, the Bihu dancers are usually young men and women, and the dancing style is characterized by brisk steps, and rapid hand movements. The traditional costume of dancers is colorful and centered roundaround the red color theme, signifying joy and vigour.

The origins of the dance form is unknown, however the folk dance tradition has always been very significantlies in the culture of Assam's diverse ethnic groups, such as Kaivarttas, [[Deori people|Deoris]], [[Sonowal Kacharis]], [[ChutiaMoran people|ChutiasMoran]]s, [[BoroChutia people|BorosChutias]], [[MisingBoro people|MisingsBoros]], [[Rabha tribe|Rabhas]], Moran and Borahis, among others.<ref>"[T]he tradition of Bihu is not solely restricted to the Assamese community, but is prevalent among various tribes living in Assam. The Mising community in Assam celebrates a festival called ''Ali-ai-lrigang'', a parallel form of the Bohag Bihu." {{harvcol|Barua|2009|p=214}}</ref> According to scholars, the Bihu dance has its originorigins in ancient fertility cults that waswere associated with increasing the fertility of the demographicpopulation as well as the land.<ref>" The Bihu dances and other ritualised activities are regarded as important by the people in order to increase the fertility of the land." {{harvcol|Barua|2009|pp=218–219}}</ref> Traditionally, local farming communities performed the dance outdoors, in fields, groves, forests or on the banks of rivers, especially under the [[Ficus|fig tree]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZbqrDwAAQBAJ&dq=Bihu+dance&pg=PT269|title=Theatre & Performance in Small Nations|last=Sharma|first=Aparna|publisher=Intellect Books|year=2013|isbn=9781841507859|editor-last=Blandford|editor-first=Steve|location=Briston, England and Chicago, IL|pages=185–197|language=en|chapter=From Springtime Erotics to Micro-nationalism: Altering Landscapes and Sentiments of the Assamese Bihu Dance in North-East India}}</ref><ref>"In earlier times the Bihu dance, a major symbol of Assamese identity, was performed under fig trees (Ficus) [4] and occasionally under other trees, notably the mango (Mangifera indica) and jãmu (Eugenia jambolana). The seed of the fig fruit is very small, but in that seed lies the enormous tree of the future. mall, but in that seed lies the enormous tree of the future. Hence, the choice of site for the Bihu dance was linked to the fertility rites associated with it." {{harvcol|Barua|2009|p=220}}</ref>

The earliest depiction of Bihu dance is found in the 9th century sculptures found in the [[Tezpur]] and [[Darrang district|Darrang]] districts of Assam. Bihu is mentioned in the inscriptions of the 14th -century [[Chutiya kingdom|Chutia]] King Lakshminaryan as well.

The dance begins with the performers, young men and women, slowly walking into the performance space.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Chatterjee|first=Arpita|date=2013|title=The Therapeutic Value of Indian Classical, Folk and Innovative Dance Forms|url=http://rupkatha.com/V5/n1/07a_Indian_Classical_Folk_Dance.pdf|journal=Rupkatha Journal on Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities|volume=V|issue=1|pages=80}}</ref> The men then start playing musical instruments, like drums (particularly the double-headed [[dhol]]), horn-pipes and flutes, while the women place their hands above their hips with their palms facing outwards, forming an inverted triangular shape.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oP4vH-4oSEcC&dq=Bihu+assam&pg=PA93|title=The Music and Musical Instruments of North Eastern India|last=Barthakur|first=Dilip Ranjan|publisher=Mittal Publications|year=2003|isbn=9788170998815|location=New Delhi|pages=93|language=en}}</ref> The women then start to slowly move in tune with the music by swaying, while bending slightly forward from the waist. Gradually, they open up their shoulders and place their legs slightly apart, adopting the main posture used in the Bihu dance. Meanwhile, the music played by the men picks up in temp and intensity, leading women to thrust forward their breasts and pelvis, alternatively, to the tune.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EyB50hsOKeEC&dq=Bihu+dance&pg=PT36|title=Indian States At A Glance 2008-09: Performance, Facts And Figures - Assam|last1=Bhandari|first1=Laveesh|last2=Kale|first2=Sumita|publisher=Pearson Education India|year=2009|isbn=9788131723326|location=Delhi, Chennai, Chandigarh|pages=27|language=en}}</ref>

== CulturalCulture and social importance ==

The Bihu dance takes its name from the [[Bohag Bihu]] festival (also called ''Rangali Bihu''), the national festival of Assam., which celebrates the Assamese New Year. The festival takes place duringin mid-April, and the Bihu dance is meant to celebrate and emulate the seasonal spirit, celebrating fertility and passion.<ref>{{Cite book|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XKXbxn09TGwC&dq=Bihu+assam&pg=PA16|title=Socio-economic Profile of Rural India|last1=Sinha|first1=Ajay Kumar|last2=Chakraborty|first2=Gorky|last3=Bhattacharya|first3=Chandana|last4=Datta|first4=P. S.|publisher=Concept Publishing Company|year=2004|isbn=9788180691454|editor-last=Agnihotri|editor-first=V. K.|volume=II: North-East India (Assam, Manipur, Tripura, Nagaland)|location=New Delhi|pages=16|language=en|chapter=Assam|editor-last2=Ashokvardhan|editor-first2=Chandragupta}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Begum|first1=Samim Sofika|last2=Gogoi|first2=Rajib|date=July 2007|title=Herbal recipe prepared during Bohag or Rongali Bihu in Assam|url=http://nopr.niscair.res.in/handle/123456789/968|journal=Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge |volume=6 |issue=3 |pages=417–422|language=en-US|issn=0972-5938}}</ref>

Bihu is performed by groups of young men and women, and in earlier times, it served principally as a [[Courtship display|courtship dance]]. The Bihu dance's association with fertility refers to both human fertility, through the erotic nature of the dance, as well as to the fertility of nature, meaning the celebration of spring and the welcoming of the life-giving spring rain. The use of instruments such as drums and horn-pipeshornpipes is believed to replicate the sound of rain and thunder, as a way of invoking actual precipitation.<ref name=":0" />

Historically, there is evidence that the Bihu dance was looked down upon in Assamese society, especially during colonial times, because of the sexually- charged nature of the performance, which clashed with the Victorian views that were dominant at the time among British colonists.<ref name=":0" />

Presently, the Bihu dance continues to play an important role and is a cultural emblem in the modern–daymodern-day Assamese society, becoming a symbol of the [[Culture of Assam|Assamese cultural identity]]. While prior to independence, it has been chiefly a rural phenomenon, the dance has managed to make to remain relevant in the face of increasing urbanization, with the practice being adopted in the region's urban centers. The first time that the Bihu dance was performed on a stage was in 1962, as part of a cultural event that took place in [[Guwahati]].<ref name=":0" />

Assam state has made a [[Guinness World Records|Guinness world record]] for performing the largest Bihu dance in one single venue on April 14, 2023. The event took place at [[Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium]], Guwahati Assam. A group of 1100011,000 Bihu dancers and drummers participated to make this historical achievement.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Time |first=Pratidin |title=Assam Enters Guinness Book Of World Records With Largest Bihu Performance |url=https://www.pratidintime.com/guwahati-news-breaking-latest/assam-creates-history-with-bihu-enters-guinness-book-of-world-records |access-date=2023-04-14 |website=Pratidin Time |date=13 April 2023 |language=en}}</ref>