Holi

What is danced for Holi

Holi welcomes spring and recalls the love of Radha and Krishna, and the victory of the devotee Prahlad over the fire. People throw coloured powder and water, and there is singing and dancing in every lane. The country of Braj, around Mathura and Vrindavan, keeps it longest. Raslila troupes act and dance the play of Krishna with the cowherd girls, and women dance the charkula with a tier of lit lamps on the head. In Rajasthan men dance the gair in great circles with sticks. At Santiniketan in Bengal, students dance to the songs of Tagore.

The dances

CharkulaA Braj dance with a pyramid of lamps on the head.Gair danceMen of Rajasthan circle and strike sticks.

More dances done for Holi

🇮🇳 India and 1 moreManipuri danceJagoi Raas, Raas Jagoi A classical dance-drama from Manipur, telling stories of Krishna and RadhaClassical dance · Group · Solo 🇮🇳 IndiaKalbelia A Rajasthani folk dance by the Kalbelia, echoing the movements of snakesFolk dance · Group