25 Popular Traditional Folk Dances of Rajasthan | Best Rajasthani Dance

rajasthan folk dance

Rajasthani dances are essentially folk dances tracing their origin to rural customs and traditions. What is more interesting is that keeping alive the numerous dance forms are not the professional dancers but the ordinary rural men and women of Rajasthan. The dancers practicing these dance forms are, to date, religiously following the age-old traditions and that’s where the beauty of these dances lies. Apart from the simple expressions and daring movements that add beauty to the dances, there are the vibrant and colorful costumes adorned by the dancers. For the dancers of Rajasthan, the Thar Desert is the centre stage which enhances the beauty of the dances at the backdrop of the setting sun.



Kalbelia Dance
This ancient dance form is performed by women of the Kalbelia community who, by profession, are snake charmers and trade in snake venom. This ancient dance form has dance movements similar to the movements of the serpents and hence, even the costumes are black colored. Interestingly, women dance on the music produced by the ‘Been’, an instrument used to charm the snakes. This is an extremely sensuous dance form that completely enthralls the onlookers.

Ghoomar Dance
Traditionally, out of bound of men, this dance form was performed solely by Rajput women on auspicious occasions. Only the women perform it with their faces covered by a veil. They dance while singing traditional songs and perform circular movements gracefully and charmingly.

Chari Dance
This traditional dance form requires lots of skill and patience as this dance is performed with pots on the head and lamps in the hand of the dancers. In such a state, the dancers perform several flexible and graceful movements of the body. This dance is performed on gay occasions, like marriage or birth of a child.

Kacchi-Ghodi Dance
Kacchi-Ghodi, or the dummy horse dance, originated from the bandit regions of Shekhawati. The dancers are elaborately dressed, and so are the dummy horses, which perform sword fighting sequences with utmost vigor. A ballad singer usually sings the tales of chivalrous men. This dance form is generally performed on gay occasions.

Fire Dance
This is an extremely difficult dance to perform which is carried out by the Banjara community. The dance involves breathtaking fire stunts wherein the dancers perform by holding fire rods in their hands and filling up their mouths with kerosene. The fire rods are also moved on their heads and legs by the dancers.

Terah Taal (Thirteen Beat) Dance
The Terah Taal dance is a beautiful musical dance in which the dancers place manjeeras (little brass discs) on their waist, legs, hands and forehead, at least thirteen places on their body. This dance is performed as a kind of ritual to please Baba Ramdeo, a local deity of Rajasthan.

Dhol Dance
It is mostly done in Jalore area, where Mali, Dholi, Sargada and other castes perform it. In the beginning, the Dhols are beaten in the local style known as Thakana. When these are stopped, the people start dancing.

Chang Dance
It is done while beating the chang, holding by men at the occasion of Holi. In  Jodhpur, it is much popular.

Dandiya
It is much popular in Marwar. The people having dandiyas in their hands perform a dance in groups of 20 to 25 persons.

Panihari Dance
It depicts the scene of a woman drawing water from a well and then balancing two or three earthen pitchers one over the other on her head.

Shekhawati’s Geendada Dance
It is a typical dance performed in Sujangarh, Churn, Ramgarh, Laxmangarh, Sikar and other adjoining areas. It starts on the second day of Holi, which continues for 7 days. It is done in the Nakaras. It is a local dance.



Bhawai Dance
It is a famous dance known for astonishing. In this dance the pressure is on different types of body’s function. It is well known in Udaipur division, unique dance performance and body functions along with attuning diversity are its main characteristics. Having seven-eight pitcher on head and dance with fast attune, to pick handkerchief with a mouth from the earth. Sword edge and dance on pieces of mirror and pointed nail are the characteristics of this dance.

Gair Dance
Males of Mewar and Barmer, with woods in their hands, dance in a circle is known as Gair dance. People who perform Gair dance are called Garria. It starts from second day of Holi and remains till fifteen days. Chaudhary, Thakur, Patel, Purohit, and Mali caste people participate with great joy in this dance performed in an open field. This dance performed in a circular form is played with unrestrained and natural pose. Songs of devotion (Hkfä jl) as well as Shrangar (Üka`xkj) Ras are sung with instruments like Dhol, Kankia and Thali.

Balor Dance
It is a dance of Garsia; which is normally celebrated during the period of Gangaur. In this men and women in a semi circular form dance slowly without any instrument. This dance has prevailed in Doon-garpur, Udaipur, Pali and Sirohi.

Bum Dance
Bum is the name of a huge drum that is performed with a laughing dance. The drum with 2' breadth and 2½' height is played in the month of Phalgun, when a new crop is ready Bum dance is mainly performed in the Bharatpur region. In this dance, dancer, musician and singers divided into three parts and play with speed. An opposite thali on glass is kept and played during this dance.

Languria Dance
It is a collective dance performed by men and women in front of Goddess Devi but personal mockeries are produced.

Ghurla Dance
This is the main dance of Marwar but mainly now performed in the entire Rajasthan. It is a collective dance of women. In this dance women having a holed picture on their head along with beautiful dress dance in a Dhumer and Parihari (ifjgkjh) mood. In this dance women with slow movement and knee with balanced. In this, the soft body movement is worth seeing.

Gadri Dance
It is a religious and social dance of Bhils. This dance is mostly performed in Doongarpur, Bhilwara, Udaipur and Sirohi areas. It is related to Gauri Pooja. In this dance, the dress is like drama and performers are in-separate forms.

Dang Dance
It is a dance performed in Nathdwara area. It is a joint dance of men and women performed during the occasion of Holi. In this dance the role of Sri Krishna is played by males and role of Radha is played by women. Dhol, Mandal and Thali instruments are used in it.

Indoli Dance
It is a couple dance of Kalbelias which is performed in a circular group. In this dance timbrel and Pungi instruments are used. In this dance decorated dress is put on.

Mandal Dance
It is a famous dance of Kota region. It is done in a circular form by Garisia women. It is influenced by Garwa (the Gujarati dance) in which flute and Thali instruments are used.

Sharkeriya Dance
It is a joint dance of Kalbalias based on love stories. Beautiful body movements are worth seeing in this dance.

Neja Dance
This is a popular dance of Udaipur, Pali and Sirohi. It is performed on the third day of Holi.|

Geedar Dance
It is done during the occasion of Holi. It is celebrated in Ramgarh, Jhunjhunu, Sikar, Churu-She Khawati & Lacchhamangarh.

Yudh Dance
It is performed by Bhil tribe as a battle with a sword in their hand. It is mostly sean is Udaipur, Pali, Sirohi and Doongarpur areas.

Tribal Folk Dances :
(1) Girasia’ Dance : Garba, Vallar, Mandal, Loor.
(2) Marwar Dance : Gair, Gudla, Terehtali, Dandia, Agni, Dhol.
(3) Bhil Dance : Gair, Gavari, Rai, Neja.
(4) Viyabsaika Dance : Terehtali, Kacchi Ghori, Bhavai Chatar.
(5) Gujjar tribe Dance : Chari dance.
(6) Holi Dance : Neja, Bamarsia, Chang, Gair, Dandia, Dang.
(7) Kalbalias Dance : Parihari, Shaakaria, Bagaria Indolie etc.

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