Celebration of Life
Tripura is house to a number of Tribes & Communities each having its unique dance forms and music.
Sandeep Banerjee

It is now over five years when having gone to an interior area under the Kailashahar sub-division of Tripura, I had to spend a night in one village. There was a local Tripura boy with me who was also a budding journalist. It had become late by the time we finished our work and so failed to get any transportation back. It was mid April - end of Chaitra with Baisakh or the New Year just knocking at the door. We stayed over the night in the house of the village headman, who and his family extended their heartfelt hospitality. After an early dinner, the headman informed us that we are lucky as there was to be a ceremony in the village on that night to welcome the New Year. The night outside was clear and beautiful. It was on that night that I got to witness the Bizu dance of the Chakmas (I also learnt that the village we were in was mainly populated by the Chakmas). The word ‘Bizu’ itself means ‘Chaitra Sankranti’ that denotes the end of the Bengali Calender year. At this time, the Chakmas sing and dance to bid adieu to the passing year and welcome the coming year. The dance is both rhythmic and colourful. The beat of the dance is set­up by the musical instrument ‘Khenggarang’ and also ‘phukdhuks’ (flutes).

A couple of years later to this, in another visit, I had a chance to see the dances of the Bengali community living in Tripura namely the Gajan and Dhamail froms as also the famous Pung Chalom dance of the Manipuris settled in that State.

These experiences touched me and till today I am left wondering at the cultural variety that the state of Tripura throws up. I am not a dance afficionado and do not carry an in depth knowledge of the forms and intricacies of dancing. But, these wonderful experiences of the past triggered a passion in me to study and look a bit more deeply in to the different dance forms (as also automatically, into the music) of Tripura.

In fact, Tripura is house to a number of Tribes & Communities each having its unique dance forms and music. The Tripuris are the dominant tribe representing more than 50% of the total tribal population of the State. The Tripuris do the Garia Dance to please the Almighty. The life and culture of Tripuris revolve around Jhum (shifting) cultivation. When the sowing of seeds at a plot of land selected for Jhum is over by middle of April, they pray to the God ‘Garia’ for a happy harvest. The celebrations attached to the Garia Puja continue for seven days when they seek to entertain their beloved deity with song and dance. The Jamatias living in Tripura also do the Garia Dance.    

The Lebang Boomani Dance is another unique Tripuri dance form. After the Garia festival the Tripuris wait for the monsoon. During this period, colorful insects called “Lebang” visit hill slopes in search of seeds sewn on it. The, annual visit of these insets provides the impetus to the tribal youth to indulge in merry-making. While the men-folk make a peculiar rhythmic sound with the help of two bamboo chips in their hand, the women folk run up the hill slopes to catch hold of these insects. The rhythm of the sound made by the bamboo chips attracts the insects from their hiding places and the women in-groups catch them.

In both the dances Tripuris use musical instruments like Khamb made of bamboo, Flute, Sarinda, Lebang made of bamboo and bamboo cymbal. Tripuri women

The Darlongs are the sub-caste of the Lusai community. The Cheraw Dance of the Darlongs has a strange subject .The Darlong reposes faith in after life. They believe that man is destined to go to heaven after death. Incidentally, they think that if a pregnant woman dies, she feels it very difficult, with all her physical strains, to track the long journey to heaven. Hence at the last stage of her pregnancy - in fact just at the time immediately prior to delivery - all her relatives perform this ‘Cheraw’ dance in-group throughout day and night so as to instill confidence in the mind of that woman. They are firm in their belief that even if the woman dies at this juncture, it will be possible for her to go to heaven with courage and confidence.

The people of ‘Mog’ community claim to have come from the Arakan region of Myanmar and settled down in Tripura about a thousand years back. Sangrai (last day of the month of Chaitra) is the occasion of special festival. The people of the Mog community, particularly the youfig boys and girls celebrate the day through cultural programs to invite the new year. There is, myth and merriment everywhere. The youths of Mog community on th^s auspicious occasion move about from one house to another dancing and singing with the pious Kalpataru (wish Yielding Tree) on head.                       ‘

The traditional dance of the Mog community is caller the Way or the Lamp Dance. The people of Mog community observe austerity from the full moon of Bengali month of Ashad down to the full moon Bengali month of Ashwin. Generally on auspicious occasion like marriage is celebrated during this period. Way festival is celebrated on the day of full moon of the Bengali month ‘of Ashwin. Lamps dedicated to the Lord Buddha (almost all Mogs are Buddtiists) are launched on this day. The young boys & girls stand in rows with lamps in hand to worship the Lord B’uddha. The youngsters indulge in merriment through songs and dances in the premises, of Buddha temple.

Sangrika, Chimithang, Padisha and Abhanga are some’of the other dance forms of the Mogs.

Maharaja Bir Chandra Manik’ Bahadur of Tripura was a great connoisseur of music and he promoted dance and music through music festivals during his time on the occasion of Holi, Jhulan Yatra and Rash Purnima. It is believed that the great Kaviguru Rabindra Nath Tagore, after visiting the State, had not only spoken highly, of the rich musical heritage of Tripura but is also known to have acknowledged Raj Bir Chandra Manik’s contribution in this field. Jadu Bhatta, who was the famous exponent of the’ ‘Marga Geet’, performed at the court of Raja Bir Chandra. In contemporary times, the famous father - son duo of Sachin Dev Barman and Rahul Dev Barman has helped show the world the musical acumen, and versatility that Tripura can ‘throw up. Tripura, from tjme bygone, has also a seat of rich classical dance & music ‘but at the same time the repertoire of songs and dances for which tribal Tripura is known for, is maintained. It is this blend of rich variety that makes the dance arid music of Tripura so unique.

To my understanding, the’ dance and music of Tripura, going beyond just being an art form, is the simple way of her people to live and celebrate life beautiful. Generally put on indigenous ornaments like chain made of silver coins, bangles made of silver, ear and nose rings made of bronze and they prefer flower as ornaments. Maimita and Mesak Sumani are also some of the other dances of the Tripuris. The Reangs constitute the second biggest group among the tribal population. It is generally believed that this particular community migrated to Tripura from somewhere in the Chittagong Hill Tracts in the middle part of the fifteenth century. The Reangs are very backward both educationally and economically and they are still considered to be a primitive group.

The Hozagiri Dance of the Reangs is one of the most delectable dances of the whole North East Region. This dance form of the Reang community is quite different from others. The movement of hands or even the upper part of- <he body is somewhat restricted, whereas the movement beginning from their waist down to their feet creates a wonderful wave. Standing on an earthen pitcher with a bottle on the head and a lighted lamp on it, when the Reang belle dances twisting rhythmically the lower part of the body, it mesmerizes the onlookers. The Reangs also use the musical instruments like Khamb, Flute made of bamboo and bamboo cymbal. The Reang women prefer to put on black Pachra and Rea. The women also put on coin necklaces which generally cover their entire upper, region. They also put on rings made of coin in their ears. They are also fond of fragrant flowers as ornaments.

Malsum is one of the 12 groups belonging to the Halam community of Tripura. The Halams originally hailed from one of the branches of Kukis. It is said that Kukis had lived in Tripura even before the Tripuris came to conquer the land. Those of the Kukis who had submitted to the Tripura Raja come to be known as Halams. Like other other tribal community of this State the social and economic life of the Halam community also revolve around Jhum’ cultivation. At the end of the harvesting the Malsums traditidnally worship Goddess Laxmi. They enjoy this festive occasion for their famous Hai-Hak dance. It is also a community dance of exquisite beauty. Rhythms of the dance reflect the tradition inherited from distant past.

The Garos are. believe’d to have migrated to Tripura from Garo Hills. After the happy harvest ‘Wangala’ (first rice eating ceremony) is performed in every Garo house. The Sangnakma, head of the community visits every house and cuts a pumpkin as a part of worship. This pumpkin’ is sacrificed on this occasion. After that the women dance to the beat of ‘Dama’ and ‘Aaduri’ made of buffalo horn. The dance projects the rehearsal for war.

The Lusai community is a small one but their social life and customs been object of great attraction to others. They prefer living in high altitude of the hills. The Lusai girls are well dressed. They perform ‘Welcome dance’ whenever any visitor visits their house. This is a very colorful dance where young girls of the community take part. Their dress is so colorful that ornaments are not required but they also adorn fragrant flowers.

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