J&K’s tradition of dance

Dance and music bring us closer to each other. Neuroscience confirms this in studies that reveal the impact of the release of endorphins through dance and music in bringing about social closeness and even increasing pain thresholds. They also release dopamine which affects our mood, enhancing pleasure and a sense of connection with others.

Research shows that coordinating movement with others increases our sense of community. An article in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology by Chris Loerch and Nathan Arbuckle studied how music and dance are tied to group processes of belonging and unity “related to markers of successful group living”.

When we dance, sing, play music, we are reminded that we share a universal desire to be happy and not suffer along with others, irrespective of external differences. If we want a more harmonious society, including and sharing traditions of dance and music as part of our lives will further this.

The regional cultures of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh all have deeply shared and meaningful forms of dance. I feel fortunate to have seen some of these dance forms over the years when I visited the Kashmir Valley and Leh for performances, filming and holidays. Enhancing the understanding and appreciation of the diversity of performing arts can be a vehicle for actually celebrating unity in diversity. With this thought in mind, my focus is on the wonderful arts that could be shared for all the healing and social benefits for the peoples of the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Sufism has a long history in Kashmir. It is common to find devotees dancing at the shrines of Sufi saints while singing devotional songs. A dancer, “Hafiza”, traditionally female and now predominantly male, performs in the Sufiana kalaam to to the classical Sufiana music Hafiz Nagma which makes use of hundred stringed Santoor.

The Bache Nagma dance is performed by boys (or sometimes men dressed as boys) at the time of harvest and also marriages. Skill in this folk dance includes the balancing act of holding a glass full of water on forehead while dancing. The costumes are similar to the classical dance of north India, Kathak. Also known as Bachha gyavaun which means “adolescent melodious voice” the dancers themselves are the singers with their pleasingly youthful vocal tones. One of the young boys dresses up as a female dancer, performing Hafiza style of dance.

Dance is intrinsic to the state’s culture for celebrations of the important events of life. Rouf is one of the oldest forms of Kashmir dance and performed only by women. The dance is performed by a group of women dressed in colorful pherans with exquisite zari embroidery, in two lines facing each other with their arms around the shoulders of the dancers next to them. They move gracefully back and forth while singing Chakri, a pleasant pathetic song based on mystical Sufi poetry. It is also said that the dance movements are inspired by the lovemaking of the bee or question and answer. It is shared on any festive occasions but especially as a welcoming dance for the spring season and on Id-ul-Fitar and Ramzan days.

One of the most popular folk dance forms of Kashmir for the last 200-300 years is the “Bhand Jashan”. Bhand means clown and Jashan means celebration, so it is the “festival of clowns”. The performance combines dance and drama to parody social and political situations, performed by fifteen to twenty male and female artists in a village square or larger venue. It traditionally played an important part in Kashmir life and culture in areas like Punchh, Sopor, Rajouri, Pahalgam and Kishtwar. The language used in the Bhand Jashan dance is not completely Kashmiri, but the combination of Hindi, Persian, Urdu and Punjabi depending on the subject of the dance chosen.

Bhaand Pather theatrical troupes from Imam Sahib, Wathoora in Budgam and Akingam have lost their prominent positions as the main source of entertainment for villagers over the last several decades. An example of the kind of historical stories that drew large audiences is that of Habba Khatoon, the most popular Kashmiri poetess and queen, whose husband Yousuf Shah Chak was summoned by King Akbar and was jailed outside Kashmir. Night curfews that make evening performances unviable and reduced patronage discourage youngsters from taking up this tradition. The impact for the audience of sitting around a circle of performers dancing within is lost when viewing is limited to the television screen. Yet the powerful combination of play and dance portraying social traditions and evils with satire is tremendously valuable for the health of communities under stress.

Originally, only the men of the Wattal tribe perform the Dumhal dance to fulfill the wishes of people on pilgrimage to the Ziarat shrine. People affected by drought, illnesses or couples unable to bear children, called upon the professional religious Dumhal dancers to seek the blessings of God. This dance is believed to have been started by Shah Sukar Saloni. He was the disciple of the Sufi Saint Baba Nasim-U-Din-Gazi. Shah Sukar Saloni had performed this dance in the memory of his Guru, to remember his preaching. Folk songs are sung in chorus as the men carry a banner to a pre-determined location where they dig the flagpole of Alam into the ground and perform the Dumhal dance circling around the banner. The costumes are striking with long conical caps decorated with beads and shells worn above long colorful robes and more beaded jewelry. The dance begins with beating drums loud enough to pull a big crowd. A contemporary performer who has taken this art form abroad is Mohammad Shafi.

In remembering, revisiting and discovering dance traditions of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, I quickly realised that even concise references would go beyond what could be covered in a single article. I will share more of the dances of regions next time with a focus on those of Kashmiri Pandit community and the folk and monastic traditions of Ladakh.

Sharon Lowen is a respected exponent of Odissi, Manipuri and Mayurbhanj and Seraikella Chau whose four-decade career in India was preceded by 17 years of modern dance and ballet in the US and an MA in dance from the University of Michigan. She can be contacted at sharonlowen.workshop@gmail.com