Virasat Festival

Phaag from Haryana mesmerises audience 

Dehradun, December 23
The fifth day of the Virasat festival witnessed a beautiful dance form of ‘phaag’ from Haryana. ‘Phaag’ or spring is the season of festivities and this dance is usually performed during joyous occasions. ‘Swang’ is performed by males and ‘phaag’ by females.

The festival of Holi has an old tradition of folk songs. Even now at many places, the custom of singing songs in groups is followed days before the festival. Groups of men and women move from door to door singing traditional songs and dancing to the beats of drums and cymbals.

In association with the NZCC (North Zone Cultural Centre), Rakesh Ganguly and Group performed ‘phaag’.

The second performance of the evening was ‘bhawai’. It is the traditional folk dance of Rajasthan that can be traced to a feudal era. It is the art of fine balancing of various utensils and pots on the head and hands. The performers balance a number of earthen pots or brass pitchers as they dance nimbly, pirouetting and then swaying with the soles of their feet perched on the top of a glass, on the edge of asword or on the rim of a brass thali (plate) during the performance.