Jhumair
AI-drafted · awaiting admin review
The most popular folk dance of Jharkhand, danced in circles or lines with linked arms to the beat of the mandar after the harvest and at festivals.
FolkWhere: JharkhandOccasion: After the harvest, at Karma, Sohrai and other festivals, weddings and fairs
| Performed by | Men and women of tribal and Sadan communities; in Mardana Jhumair men dance and in Janani Jhumair women dance |
|---|---|
| Costume | Women wear white sarees with red borders (laal paar) and flowers in the hair; men wear dhotis and turbans |
| Music and instruments | Mandar, dhol, nagara, bansuri (flute) and jhanjh (cymbals), with songs in Nagpuri, Khortha, Kurmali and tribal languages |
How it is performed
- Dancers form a circle or a long line, linking arms around each other’s waists.
- The singers start a song and the drummers in the centre set the beat.
- The line moves forward and back and sideways with small, swaying steps, bending at the knees.
- The tempo rises as the night goes on, and new songs bring new step patterns.
Significance
Jhumair brings the whole village together. Its songs speak of love, nature, the seasons and the joys and hardships of rural life.