Not only known for rich flora and fauna, snow-capped mountain ranges, rhythmic waterfalls and serene valleys, Himachal Pradesh is also renowned for its rich culture and traditions and folk dances form a part of its rich cultural heritage. Dances are an indispensable part of the rich culture of the region and no festivity is complete without it. Encompassing different communities, Himachal is the home to various forms of folk dances. Some of the most popular folk dances of this region are listed below. Mala (garland) Dance One of the most popular dance forms of Himachal Pradesh is the Mala Dance or the garland dance. In this dance form, the dancers are dressed in their traditional robes; intertwine their arms together to form a kind of criss-cross pattern in an order that appears like beads in a woven garland. Before the performance of this dance form, dancers drink chhang, which is a rice brew. Nati The most famous dance of Himachal Pradesh, Nati Dance is performed during festivals and fairs, especially during Dussehra. This dance form is performed in different regions of the state. Gaddi Nati, Kullu Nati, Kinnauri Nati, Sirmouri Nati and Shimla Nati are the popular forms of this folk dance. Dancers wear traditional dresses and dance along with the procession, on the tunes of musical instruments. All the forms of Nati have unique costumes, ornaments, songs and instrumental music.Earlier, Natti was performed for several hours and continued till dancers and orchestra were exhausted, but in the present time the duration of the dance has been shortened. Demon Dance A dance form of Kinnaur and nearby areas which has a fragrance of the historic period, Demon dance is a popular dance form of the region. This dance form is performed by wearing the mask of a demon and depicts the attack of the demons on the crops and their ritual pursuing away by the forces of good in the performance. Nagas Kayang Dance The Nagas Kayang is a folk dance form which replicates the movement of a snake. The Herki Kayang is faster in tempo and is danced to romantic songs, which is mainly performed by young men and women. The Shuna Kayang dance is practiced in most villages in the area and is a blend of both slow and fast movements. This dance form depicts scenes from the life in the village and the forest. Dandras Dance The dance form of Gaddi tribe, who are nomadic shepherd community belonging to the Bharmaur region of the Chamba district, Dandras is performed by mainly by the men folk of this tribe. This dance is performed with small sticks which usually last for several hours. Chhanak Chham Dance A devotional dance form, Chhanak Chham is performed by Lamas of Lahaul-Spiti region once in every three years, on the festival known as Chakhar, as a tribute to Lord Buddha. 'Chhanak' is the typical headgear worn by the dancers. The costume that is worn while performance of this particular dance is made of golden, black and yellow fabric, decorated with unique traditional motifs. Dancers cover half of their face with black cloth and carry swords or knives in their hands while performing this dance form. The movements are slow and circular and the musicians wear traditional dress of the Lamas, with caps adorned with yellow feathers, and play long pipes, known as 'Tangchim' as well as drums, known as 'Ghhan’. Namagen A famous dance form of Himachal Pradesh is Namagen, which is performed during the month of September when autumnal hue is celebrated. Namgem is a dance form of the nomadic Gaddi Tribe, which is one of the most spectecular dance performances of the region. The women folk are clad in richly studded ornaments of silver and woolen clothes are worn during the performance. Drums are the primary instrument played during the performance on the rhythm of which the dancers perform.
