Ghumura Dance
Encyclopedia
Ghumura Folk Dance[ , Kalahandia : ଘୁମ୍ରା ନାଚ୍ ] has earned both national and international name and fame in past three decades, after winning heart of Oriya people throughout Orissa. Its popular music is considered as one of those ancient folk musics, which after struggling a lot with the current of time, has still maintained its own distinction today. Kalahandi is known as land of Ghumura and is the most sought folk dance in Kalahandi. It is classified as folk dance as the dress code of Ghumura resembles more like a tribal dance, but recent researchers argue different mudra and dance form present in Ghumura bear more resemblance with other classical dance form of India.

Mythological studies

Beside historical evidence, the origin of Ghumura dance has taken into consideration of public views and myths. Based on myth poet Kandarpa Panda has written Ghumura Janma Bidhan in 1954. Nakpal and Gaganeswar have also described a myth regarding origin of Ghumura, in which they described that Chandra Dhwoja has originally established the dance and later it was taken over a demon-Karttabirya Asura.

As per Chandi Puran when Durga, the eternal deity of Shakti, asked all the Gods and Goddesses of heaven to lend their weapons, was instrument and conveyances to kill a demon king Mahisasur, one of the war-musical instruments collected was the Ghumura instrument that was formed by combination of a portion of Dambaru, a musical instrument of Lord Siva, and Veena of goddess Saraswati.

As per Mahabharat, Ghumura was being used by both Gods and Goddesses as a musical instrument during war. According to Sarala Mahabharat, during Satya Jug- Jenabali-Patana was the capital of the king Gogingh Daitya-grandson of Mahisasur. Many people accept that Mahisasur Jenabali-Patana of that age is the Junagarh of today. However, in the Madhya Parba of Mahabharat, Ghumura has been mentioned with description about killing of Gosingh Daitya. The poet Sarala Das has also described it as the Rana-Badya (was music) of Mahisasur.

Few expert believed Ghumura was a war music (Rana-Badya) of Ravana, demon king of Lanka, and Lanka-garh, since Goddess Lankeswari, most favorite goddess of Ravana, is worshipped in the region. According to them after Lanka was destroyed by Hanuman and after Ravana was killed, Goddess Lankeswari had left Lanka and came to settle in Jenabali-Patana (now it is Junagarh, Kalahandi) where she is presently being worshiped.

There are also myths about origin of Nishan and Tala. After building Chandrachuda Bindhani out of iron found from Bindhya Giri and covering its top with a skin of dead Bouta cow, it was inaugurated with Panchakshar-Mantra. Its parents Gaurab Gandharb and Urbasi called it Nishan. Likewise the Tala was created by a Saint-Kasyapa Risi. Both Nishan and Tala are considered as a symbol of Radha-Krishna.

Archaeological studies

Archaeological evidence proves that there are some cave painting from per-historic period discovered from Gudahandi of Kalahandi
Kalahandi
Kalahandi, , is a district of Orissa in India. The region had a glorious past and great civilization in ancient time. Archaeological evidence of stone age and Iron Age human settlement has been recovered from the region. Asurgarh offered an advanced, well civilized, cultured and urban human...

 and Yogi Matha of Nuapada district
Nuapada District
Nuapada is a district of Orissa, India.-History:The District of Nuapada was a part of Kalahandi District till early March 1993, but for the administrative convenience, Kalahandi District was divided into two parts i.e. Kalahandi and Nuapada vide State Government Notification No. DRC-44/93/14218/R....

 that looks like Ghumura, Damru and other attractive things. These rock art sites belongs to more than 8000 B.C. and from such painiting the antiquity of musical instrument Ghumura and Damru can be imagined. It is also proved that during mythological age, Kalahandi had prosperous and developed civilization. The origin of Ghumura goes back to ancient times. There is a beautiful waterfall in the river valley of Indravati, which was initially recognized by Chindak Nagas of Chakrakot. Many believe that Ghumura dance originated from this river valley and gradually spread into the areas between Indravati and Mahanadi, indicating this dance form belongs to 10th century A.D. On the other hand analyst opine that 'Banka-Paika' of Kalampur had carried Lankeswari deity with a grand procession of Ghumura music to Junagarh in 1008 A.D. when the Naga dynasty shifted their old capital from Jugasaipatna to Junagarh. The terracotta and stone objects found from medieval site in Nehena, 3 km from Khariar, resembles Ghumura objecr dated back to 9th and 10th century. In 12th century A.D. Ghumura dance was already popular, which is evident from a scenery of one person playing the musical instrument Ghumura in a stone-hole of Nritya Mandir of Konark Sun Temple
Konark Sun Temple
Konark Sun Temple is a 13th-century Sun Temple , at Konark, in Orissa. It was constructed from oxidized and weathered ferruginous sandstone by King Narasimhadeva I of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty. The temple is an example of Orissan architecture of Ganga dynasty...

. Bhimeswar temple in Bhubaneswar also shows another scenery of Ghumura dance reconfirming that origin of Ghumura dance was in 10th century A.D.

Dr Mahendra Kumar Mishra, a noted folklorist and ethnomusicologist of kalahandi, has researched extensively on ethnography of Ghumra dance of kalahandi, which can be accessed in the website www.scribd.com. besides Dr Mishra has widely discussed on structure, function and socio-cultural context of Ghumra dance of kalahandi adjoining bastar and Chhatishgarh also some part of Orissa in his well researched book kalahandira Lokasanskruti (1996) published by Freidns Publishers, Cuttack.

Transformation of war music into folk music and dance

In mythological ages Ghumura was a favorite music instrument of both Gods and demons during war, which was followed in subsequent time as the heroic war music by successive kings and soldiers of Orissa, especially in Kalahandi. Many kings in the region such as Eastern Ganga dynasty
Eastern Ganga dynasty
The Eastern Ganga dynasty reigned from Kalinga and their rule consisted of the whole of the modern day Indian state of Orissa as well as parts of West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh from the 11th century to the early 15th century. Their capital was known by the name Kalinganagar, which is...

had well organized soldiers with Ghumura as their primary war music. During that period, the Ghumura song had neither been composed not been sung.
Only its music and dance were being used during war time just to make the fighter (soldiers) excited with the spirit of fighting. Later on the song was integrated with the music and dance of Ghumura, since it was regarded as the only medium of exercise both for the purpose of body building and entertainment during leisure time of Paikas or soldiers. During British rule, the Paikas were often inactive and used to get sufficient leisure time, for which the Ghumura was developed by them as a primary means of entertainment.
Afterwards poets and writers in general of Orissa and in particular of Kalahandi took initiatives to compose various songs of Ghumura while writing about Devi bandana (hymns or prayer to deities), glory of dynasties and mythological studies. In this way Chanda-Chaupadis of poet Upendra Bhanja, Dinakrushna, Abhimanyu Samanta Singar, etc. gradually entered into Ghumura, which made it much more enchanting. As a result, common people living in the rural areas of Kalahandi became very much attracted by this music, song and dance of Ghumura and formed many Ghumura groups to develop and spread. In this respect, the royal families of Bhawanipatna, Jayapatna, Madanpur Rampur, Khariar etc. also highly encouraged and helped these groups of village folk. During religious and cultural festivals like 'Dasahara' many of these groups used to gather together on the altars of different deities i.e. Manikeswari of Bhawanipatna, Lankeswari of Jungarh, Raktambari of Khariar, Dakeshwari of Madanpur Rampur, Budha Raja of Ampani etc. However, for the distinctive recognition of the Ghumura group reform and development was made in the manner and nature of dress, painting, dance, music and song. While performing, the Ghumura dancers and singers of each group used to ask very complicated question related to socio-economic and political problems to their competent opposite group through the medium of the songs. This gave birth to the contemporary form of Ghumura-Ladhei or Badi-Ghumura in Kalahandi, which is very meaningful, attractive and enchanting too.

Etymological meaning of Ghumura

Ghumura is an earthen pitcher and the imagination of the preparation of such pitcher into a musical instrument is a polygenetic development. 'Ghumura' is derived from 'Ghum+u+Ra'. 'Ghum' means bowl like pitcher made of soil or clay and having a thin face with big belly. 'U' means 'Lord Siva' and 'Ra' mean 'Raba' or 'Dhowni' (vibrating sound). Earthen clay pot is locally known as 'Ghumuri', which was largely used by females to reserve water for homely use. Male version of 'Ghumuri' is 'Ghumura'. Since Ghumura is a male dance form and it is found in almost all parts of the human culture that equipments and appliances invented for human use have been the foundation to the invention of musical instruments, the derivation of name of Ghumura from 'Ghumuri' signifies such claim.

Dance Form of Ghumura

  • Circular Dance
  • Circular or Semi-Circular Dance
  • Triangular Dance
  • Rectangular Dance
  • Go Spada Dance: Cow Foot Dance
  • Sheep Fighting Dance (Mesha Yudha Dance)
  • Cross (Chaki) Dance
  • Square Dance
  • Go Chanda Dance
  • Hen Fighting (Kakuta Yudha) Dance

Ghumura in folk tradition

Though Ghumura has been included in folk culture, it is a widespread dance in Kalahandi region. It is in delusion that in its early period whether it was a caste-based dance or not. By the time when Ghumura entered into the sphere of folk dance, above from the level of tribal dance, it was extensively performed by almost all castes and communities. Perhaps, Ghumura was a caste-based dance of a particular caste in its beginning and later on extended to different castes and community. It was then widely accepted as a mass dance come from folk dance.

Development and Spread of Ghumura

Ghumura dance has had the opportunity to represent the nation in various international events Delhi, Moscow, and various other places.
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