Gussadi
AI-drafted · awaiting admin review
The dance of the Raj Gond people of Adilabad, performed by men in tall peacock-feather headgear during the Dandari festival around Diwali.
TribalWhere: Adilabad and Kumuram Bheem Asifabad districts, TelanganaOccasion: Dandari festival, in the days around Deepavali
| Performed by | Raj Gond men; troupes travel from village to village |
|---|---|
| Costume | Huge headgear of peacock feathers, bodies smeared with ash or coloured clay, animal skins or cloth, strings of beads and a wooden stick |
| Music and instruments | Drums such as the dappu and gumela, with the pipe-like pepre and other Gond instruments |
How it is performed
- Before the festival the dancers worship their deities and take part in rituals in the village.
- Dressed as Gussadis, they move in a group to the beat of the drums, swaying and jumping with the headgear swinging.
- Troupes visit neighbouring villages, where they are welcomed and fed, and dance together with the hosts.
- The festival ends with prayers and the troupes return home.
Significance
Gussadi and the Dandari festival strengthen ties between Gond villages and keep alive their songs, ritual and dress. The Gussadi dancer Kanaka Raju of Adilabad received the Padma Shri in 2021.