Saturday, May 2, 2009

TusuAndBhaduriyaSailaa

Makar(Makar = Type of Mythic Crocodile, carrier of Goddesses Ganga) Sankranti(Sankranti = last day of a month) is an important festival in all parts of Bengal. The Tusu Parab is held in Birbhum & adjacent Districts on this occasion.

Groups of young girls gather every evening throughout the month of Pous (December-January) and sing songs which have been termed by the generic term Tusu. Every day during this month young women gather and dance to songs which are called Tusu songs. The songs are accompanied by simple group movements: there is no other accompaniment. On the day of Makar Sakranti, people gather around a pond or a river, mostly out of the village adjacent to Jharkhand. After offering their prayers to Goddess Tusu, people sing and dance on the banks of the river or pond. The dance consists of simple group movements that are accompanied by Tusu songs. Earlier there are no instruments used for the songs, now a days dhil, sanai nd other instruments can be seen.

The men also have their particular songs and dances for the occasion and these are known as the Bhaduriya Sailaa.

No comments: