Charkula
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Braj folk dance in which women balance a tall, tiered wooden frame lit with oil lamps on their heads while dancing.
FolkWhere: Braj, around Mathura and BarsanaOccasion: The days after Holi and other festive gatherings in Braj
| Performed by | Women, usually veiled |
|---|---|
| Costume | Bright ghagra-choli and odhni (veil) |
| Music and instruments | Rasiya songs of Braj sung by men, with dhol, nagara and harmonium |
How it is performed
- A heavy wooden frame of several circular tiers is fitted with many small oil lamps and lit.
- The dancer lifts it onto her head, steadied on a cloth ring, without using her hands once she begins.
- She dances with swaying steps and slow turns to the rasiya songs, keeping the lamps level and lit.
- The best dancers bend, turn and move across the ground for a long time while the frame stays balanced.
Significance
According to local tradition, Charkula celebrates the birth of Radha at Barsana, when her grandmother is said to have run out with a lamp-lit cartwheel on her head. It shows great balance and strength.