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Tripura owns a
rich cultural heritage of a variety of dance
forms that come from 19 tribal communities
apart from the regular Bengali and Manipuri
ones. These forms are also well known
throughout the country. Long and intimate
association of Poet Rabindranath Tagore with
Tripura has added luster to the rich
cultural heritage of the state. The state
has produced the famous musicians Sachin Dev
Barman and Rahul Dev Barman.
Tripuri Community
The Tripuris constitute the
weightiest section of the entire tribal
community, representing more than 50% of the
total tribal population of the State. The
Tripuris live on the slopes of hills in a
group of five to fifty families. Their
houses in these areas are built of bamboo
and raised five to six feet height to save
themselves from the dangers of the wild
animals. Nowadays a considerable section of
this community are living in the plains and
erecting houses like the plains' people
adopting their methods of cultivation and
following them in other aspects of life,
such as dress, manners and cosmetics.
Tripuri women rear a scarp, called Pachra,
which reaches down just below the knee. They
weave in their loin-loom a small piece of
cloth, which they call 'Risha', and they use
this small piece of cloth as their breast
garment.
Garia Dance
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.
Lebang Boomani
Dance
After the Garia festival is over,
the Tripuris have a time to rest awaiting
the monsoon. During this period, folks of
charming colorful insects called 'Lebang'
use to visit hill slopes in search of seeds
sewn on it. The annual visit of the insects
renders the tribal youths 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 tottering the hill slopes to catch hold
of these insects called 'Lebang'. The rhythm
of the sound made by the bamboo chips
attracts the insects from their hiding
places and the women in-groups catch them.
With the change of time jhuming on hill
slopes are gradually diminishing. But the
cultural life that developed centering round
the jhum delved deep into the society. It
still exists in the state's hills and dales
as a reminiscence of the life, which the
tribal of today cherish in memory, and
preserve as treasure. In both the dances
Tripuris use the musical instruments like
Khamb made of Bamboo, Flute, Sarinda, Lebang
made of bamboo and bamboo cymbal. Tripuri
women generally put on indigenous ornaments
like chain made of silver with coin, Bangle
made of silver, ear and nose rings made of
bronze. They prefer flower as ornaments.
Reang Community
Next to 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
disciplined community. The head of the
community enjoys the title 'Rai' word is
supreme in all matters of internal disputes
and hence to be obeyed by all belonging to
the said community. They generally avoid
normal court for justice. The Reangs are
very backward both educationally and
economically and, therefore they are still
considered to be the primitive group.
Hozagiri Dance
While the theme of the dance
remains almost to be the same as of other
tribes, the dance form of the Reang
community is quite different from others.
The movement of hands or even the upper part
of the 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 dance twisting rhythmically
the lower part of the body, the dance
bewilders 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.
Reang women put on coins ring, which
generally covers their entire upper region.
They also put on rings made of coin in their
ears. They are fond of fragrant flowers as
ornaments to metal things.
Chakma Community
People of Chakma Community in
Tripura are found normally in the
Sub-Divisions of Kailashahar, Amarpur,
Sabroom, Udaipur, Belonia and Kanchanpur.
They are followers of Buddhism. Although the
Chakmas are divided into several groups and
sub-sections, no major difference is noticed
in the manner and customs indifferent
groups. The Chakma chiefs are generally
called 'Dewans' and they exercise great
authority and influence within the community
in all internal matters. The Chakma Women,
like all other tribal women are experts in
weaving. The Chakmas are very neat and clean
in their domestic life.
Bizu Dance
This popular form of dance is
characteristic of the Chakma community. Bizu
means 'Chaitra-Sankranti'. 'Chaitra-Sankranti'
denotes end of Bengali calendar year. It is
during this period when the Chakmas sing and
dance to bid good-bye to the year just being
ended and welcome the new year. The dance is
beautifully orchestrated with the rhythm
playing of what is known as 'Khenggarang'
and 'Dhukuk' sorts of flutes. The Chakma
women are fond of flower, which they often
use in their hair. They also use metal
ornaments.
Halam (Malsum)
Community
Malsum is one of the 12 groups
belonging to the Halam community of Tripura.
Halam, again, originally hailed from one of
the branches of Kukis. It is said that Kukis
had lived in Tripura even before the
Tripuris came in to conquer the land. Those
of the Kukis who had submitted to the
Tripura 'Raja' came to be known as Halams.
Originally the tribal was divided into 12
sub-groups of 'Dafas' but in course of time
these sub-groups have split into sections
and new as many as sixteen clans are found
to be making up for the whole Halam
community. Malsum belongs to one of these 12
groups. The Halams are followers of the 'Saka'
cult, but the influence of 'Vaishnavism' is
quite marked, particularly, in two sections
of the community. They believe in the
existence of spirit too. Their worship is
solemnized with offerings and sacrifices so
that nothing calamitous befalls the
community in the form of crop failure or
epidemic or any other natural disaster.
During the festival, they sit together to
settle all internal disputes, try cases or
crime and inflict punishment on the
offenders which make the Puja a useful
social gathering in keeping peace and
harmony within the community.
Hai Hak Dance
Like 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
season the Malsum traditionally adore
Goddess Laxmi. They enjoy this festive
occasion for their famous Hai-Hak dance. It
is also a community dance with exquisite
beauty. Rhythms of the dance reflect the
tradition inherited from distant past.
Garo Community
The people of Garo community live
in the South and Dhalai District of Tripura.
Originally they use to live in Tong Ghar
made of bamboo to save themselves from wild
animals like the other tribals of Tripura.
But now they prefer houses made of mud wall
with 'Chan' grass as roof. They are believed
to have migrated to Tripura from Garo Hills.
The life style of the Garo living in Tripura
is almost like the other tribal. The Heads
of the community is known as Sangnakma and
the priest of the community is known as Kama.
They put on the dress as good as that of the
Khasis.
Wangala Dance
After the happy harvest 'Wangala'(1-st
rice eating ceremony) is performed in every
houses. The Sangnakma, head of the
communities 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.
Lusai Community
The Lusai were originally inhabitant of the
hills lying with east and north-east of
Tripura and also to the adjoining hilly
areas. They have settled down on Jampui
Hills situated on the North-East boundary of
the state under Kanchanpur Sub-Division in
North Tripura District. Their number is very
insignificant to the total population of the
state. Their social life and Customs have
been objects of great attraction to others.
The principal means of livelihood of the
Lusai still remain to be Jhum cultivation.
Of course, this can be considered chiefly to
the dearth of plain land in the hills. They
prefer living in high altitude of the hills.
Welcome Dance
The Lusai girls are well dressed. They
generally wear their colorful cloth. They
performed welcome dance whenever any visitor
pay visits to their house. This is very
colorful dance where young girls of the
entire community take part. Their dress is
so colorful that the ornaments are not very
much required except fragrant flowers.
Darlong Community
The Darlongs are the sub-caste of the
Lusai community. They live mostly in
Kailashahar Sub-Division in North Tripura
District. Their main livelihood is
cultivation of pineapple, orange and cotton.
Cheraw Dance
The Darlong reposes faith in life after
death. 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 trek the long journey
to Heaven. Hence at the last stage of her
pregnancy - in fact just at the time or
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 Heaven with
the courage and confidence together with joy
gained through the sound of bamboo as the
rhythm of the dance produced till her death.
Mog Community
The word 'Mog' or 'Mogh' as some might
call it traces its origin to various
dictionaries as per various people. However,
there is not a single definitive reference.
Probably the Word 'Mong' came from 'Mogadhi'
(one who hails from Mogadhaor one who is a
resident of Mogadha). In the English
dictionary the words Mog, Mogen, Mouge have
been shown as surnames to the inhabitants of
Arakan in 15-th and 16-th centuries.
Bangalees of course refer to the inhabitants
of Arakan as 'Mog'. The people of 'Mog'
community claimed to have come from Arakan
and settled down in Tripura in 957 A.D.
Almost all the people belonging to the Mog
community are the followers of Buddhism.
Sangrai ( last
day of the month of Chaitra, which is the
last month of the Bengali Calendar Year) is
the occasion of special festival. The people
of the Mog community in general and the
young boys and girls in particular celebrate
the day through cultural programs in order
to invite the new year. Cakes are prepared
in every home and denizens move from house
to house to take cakes. On this day water is
carried through auspicious pitchers and
respected persons are allowed to take bath
with this water. Young boys and girls
indulge in aquatics; traditional Khouyang is
played on bet. Paste of fragrant sandalwood
and water of green coconuts are sprinkled in
every house. There is myth and merriment
everywhere and in the midst of pomp and
grandeur fragrant water is poured on the
root of 'Bodhi Briksha'. The festival
continues for three days. The youths of Mog
community on this auspicious occasion move
about from house to another dancing and
singing with pious 'wish Yielding Tree' (Kalpataru)
on head.
Way (Lamp) Festival
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 no auspicious
occasion like marriage is celebrated during
the period. Even the married women do not go
to their parents' house during this time.
This festival is celebrated on the full moon
day of Ashad. Lamps dedicated to Lord Buddha
are lit; young boys and girls stand in rows
with lamps to worship Lord Buddha. They also
perform dance and sing songs as a part of
the festival. All this takes place in the
temple of the Buddha. The traditional dance
of the Mog community is known as 'Way Dance'
or 'Lamp Dance'. |
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