[2025] Folk Dances Of Jammu Kashmir, Top MCQs and Important Details

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This section will provide you all details about Folk Dances Of Jammu Kashmir. At the end, you will also get to solve top MCQs on the topic. These MCQs are very important for exams conducted by JKSSB and JKPSC.

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Folk Dances Of Kashmir

The folk dances of Kashmir are enumerated below:

  1. Rouf Dance
  2. Dumhal Dance
  3. Hafiza Dance/ Hafiza Nagma
  4. Bhand Jashan
  5. Bhand Pather
  6. Bacha Nagma
  7. Wuegi-Nachun
  8. Hikat

They are discussed below:

Rouf Dance

  • It is also pronunced as Ruf or Row.
  • It is the most famous conventional dances performed by the women of Kashmir.
  • The women stand face to face with each othert, and the most notable feature of this dance form is the intriguing footwork of the dancer women resonating with one another.
  • The background song is in the form of questions and answers. One group of women asks the questions and the other gives answers in a proper rhythmic way.
  • It is performed on occasion of arrival of spring, on eids and during the month of Ramzan.

DUMHAL DANCE

  • Dumhal Dance is performed by the men of the Wattal Tribe.
  • This dance is a typical theatre based blend of dance and marriage songs
  • It is performed in sync with beats of Drum and other instruments.
  • The Dumhal dancers wear conical hats, colourful robes, and beautiful ornaments.
  • Sometimes, a Banner is dug into the ground before the dance. The men dance around the banner while singing in synchronised chorus,

HAFIZA DANCE

  • Hafiza dance was Introduced by Mughals.
  • The Hafiz Nagma has two parts; Hafiza-the dancer and Nagma-the Sufiana Kalam.
  • It is performed on wedding occasions ,in accordance with the music of the Santoor, which is a musical instruments containing almost hundred strings. In the background, sufiana kalam is played.
  • It was banned in 1920, as it was considered too sensual for sufiyana music. It was therefore replaced by Bacha Nagma, in which dancers were young boys dressed as women.

Bhand Jashan

  • Bhand means Clown and Jashan means Celebration/festival. This dance form is also known as “Festival of Clowns“.
  • Bhand Jashan is a mix of play and dance in a satirical way.
  • It is a very soothing dance with very light music and performed in traditional style by ten to fifteen dancers, called Bhand.
  • It is performed to raise various social issues and is generally performed in local squares and chowks of Kashmir.
  • The dance has a background of Surnai, which is a kashmiri equivalent of Shehnai. Other instruments include Peshrao, Dol and Nagara.
  • The dancers put hands on the waist of their co-dancers and move backward and forward in accordance with the tune played.
  • Language used is a mix of KAshmiri, Persian, Punjabi, Urdu and English.
  • The women dancers wear Pheran and Salwar and pin their scarves on their heads. In addition traditional Kashmiri jewellery is also used and a dupatta is tied to the waist.
  • The male dancers wear kurta pyjama along with the colourful caps. They also carry a colourful handkerchief-rumal.
  • The footwear remains same for both male and female dancers.

Bhand Pather

  • It is a form of Theatre dance performed in Kashmir, and it is the indigenous folk-theatre of Kashmir.
  • It emerged during Dogra rule in Kashmir.
  • It is a mix of dance and play and showcases the day to day lives, traditions and evils prevailing in the society through satire.
  • The three elements of Bhand Pather are Classical musical instrument, Dance and Acting.
  • No women take part in Bhand Pather. Instead female roles are also played by the men.
  • The dancers wear long white kurtis, white turbans and kamarbhands.

Bacha Nagma

  • Bacha means a young boy and Nagma means a melodious song. The name is because, the dancers here are the young boys dressed up as women.
  • It is actually a dance form of Afghanistan.
  • It was introduced in Kashmir when Hafiza Nagma was banned in 1920, as it was considered too intimate and immoral.
  • Bacha Nagma is a group performance with one person called Bacha-kot acting as a lead dancer and singer.
  • The Bacha Kot wears female dress and performs Hafiza dance (remember it is Hafiza dance by young boys) within the circle of young boys (Bacha).
  • The dress of Bacha Nagma dancers is similar to the dress of Kathak dancers.
  • It is also known as Bacha Gyavun in some areas.

Wuegi Nachun

  1. It is performed after a marriage ceremony, when the bride is about to leave her parental home.
  2. Kashmiri Pundit females gather around bridal rangoli and dances.

Hikat

  1. It is a very old form of folk dances forms in Kashmir.
  2. It is performed by young girls in marriage ceremonies and other occasions of happiness.
  3. In Hikat dance, two girls hold their hands in the form of a cross and swirl each other in circles.
  4. Besides Jammu Kashmir, It is also popular in Himachal Pradesh.

Folk Dances Of Jammu

The folk dances of Jammu are listed below:

  1. Kud Dance
  2. Jagarna
  3. Crow Dance
  4. Chowki Nach
  5. Lohri Chajja Dance
  6. Hiran Dance
  7. Gojri Dance
  8. Dogri Bhangra
  9. Keekli
  10. Letri
  11. Gwatri
  12. Phummaniyan
  13. Surma

These dance forms are discussed below:

Kud Dance

  1. It is performed in honour of “Kul Devta“, also called Gramin Devtas. They are gods of local folklore and fables.
  2. It is performed after a good harvest and to save crops and lives from natural calamities.
  3. Kud dance is often performed encircling the bonfire.
  4. The delicate and articulate steps of Kud dance are pleasing to mind.
  5. The male Kud dancers wear Kurtas, Chudidar bottoms and Turbans, where as female Kud dancers wear Dogri suits.

Jagarna Dance

  1. It is performed mainly on occasions of the marriage ceremonies.
  2. Jagarna is performed only by the females of the bridegroom’s side at the time when the Baarat has left the home for the bride.
  3. It is considered inauspicious to leave the wedding home of the bridegroom empty, so some of the females of the bridegroom’s family stay there & at night they perform Jagarna for the whole night.
  4. These women also talk about their marital life and sometimes also reveal the intimate incidents.
  5. Children and men cannot even watch this dance.
  6. Bolian and Dholak are also accompanied with this dance.

Crow Dance

  1. It is also called Kawa Dance, and is performed by the trained artists.
  2. It is prevalent in the hilly regions of Jammu.
  3. It is performed in the festival seasons, cultural events, and also on birthday celebrations.

Chowki Nach

  1. It is performed to pay respect to the local folklore Devi-Devtas of Jammu and Kashmir.
  2. It is not a dance form but a religious ceremony which in the background, that is performed on the beats of Drums and Karak.
  3. Chowki Nach is performed by a single person at a time; however. This is. however, not a strict rule.
  4. In Chowki Nach, the person uses Sacred Sangal to beat himself. It is believed that the Devta himself enters into the body of the person to performer.

Lohri Chajja Dance

  1. Lohri Chajja is also called Dandaras or Peacock dance.
  2. It is a traditional dance, that marks the celebration on the occasion of Lohri in Jammu Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.
  3. The dance features boys dancing to the beating of the drums along with ‘Chajjas‘, (which is a huge model of peacock elaborately decorated with colored paper and flowers), in a dancing procession along the street.

Hiran Dance | Deer Dance

  1. Traditional Hiran Dance is also performed in Jammu on the Occasion of Lohri.
  2. Dogri Traditional music and songs are also performed on Hiran dance and at night a bonfire is lit and ‘arg’is given to the Fire God. Hiran Dance is performed by the Dogras of Jammu region dressed as a Hiran ) and dances on the beat of Drums, Nagara and flutes.

Gojri Dance

  1. Dance is a dance performed by the Gujjar Tribe of Jammu and Kashmir.
  2. Both males and females take part in the performance.

Dogri Dance

  1. The traditional Dance of Dogras (who are an ethnic tribe from the mountains and plains of the Jammu region) is known as Dogri Dance.
  2. The Dance is performed on the beat of Dholak and Chimta.
  3. The Dance is performed over Pakhs. Pakh is a unique style of singing that is very popular in the hilly regions of Jammu region. Pakhs are mainly sung in chorus and in Dogri Language, and without the help of any musical instruments. Pakh style traces its origin to Greece, and it was introduced in Jammu by the army of Alexander-The Great.
  4. Dogri Dance is performed in functions or events. It is also performed in social gatherings and annual Shinj which is a popular wrestling event in the Jammu region.

Dogri Bhangra

  1. Dogri Bhangra is performed on the fairs and festivals, and every action depicts the harvesting process.
  2. Dogri Bhangra performers with sticks and handkerchiefs dance in a circle on the drumbeat.
  3. The Bhangra details the joys and sorrows of lover’s meetings and partings.

Keekli Dance

  1. It is a simple but entertaining dance, in which no instrument is used.
  2. It is performed only by girls, and no males take part in it.
  3. The girls catch hold of each other’s opposite hands and rotate themselves quickly but in a balanced way.

Gwatri Dance

  1. Gwatri is not just a dance step or music raga but it is the mix of both.
  2. The singers narrate some text on which dancing is done by the Gwatari dancers.

Letri

  1. It is also called labour dance.
  2. It is a dance performed by the people who are invited to cut the grass.
  3. The participants consist of one drum player and 10-15 grass cutters. The grass cutters dance to the beats of the drum.
  4. The participants are served with lunch and ghee, once they are done with grass cutting.

Phummaniyan

  1. Phummaniyan is a dance performed by the people belonging to Kandi belt on the occasion of Gugga Naymi (a religious festival celebrated day after Janamashtmi. This festival is in honour of Guggaji who had mastered control over snakes and serpents) around August to September.
  2. Phummaniyan actually means movement of the body with gestures (mudras).
  3. An ensemble of drums, trumpets and cymbals provide music on which dancers sway like Nag Devta.

Surma Dance

  1. Surma is an interesting and emotional song-cum-dance, which reveals the frustration of a newly married bride whose groom has gone in the war.

These were the most important folk dances of Jammu Kashmir. We are sure that you will find this post very useful. Now it is your turn to solve some important MCQs

MCQs On Folk Dances Of Jammu Kashmir

Kud Dance is performed in honour of :

  1. Kali Mata
  2. Kul Devta
  3. Lord Krishna
  4. Lord Vishnu

Kul Devta

The song cum dance revealing the frustration and melancholy of a newly married bride whose groom has gone to war is :

  1. Surma
  2. Wuegi Nachun
  3. Hikat
  4. Keekli

Surma

Which of the following is not true about Keekli dance?

  1. In this dance form, girls catch hold of other’s opposite hands and then roate themselves quickly.
  2. It is a dance form of Kashmir.
  3. No instruments are used in the background of this dance.
  4. None of the above

“It is a dance form of Kashmir” is a wrong option. Keekli dance is a dance form of Jammu region of Jammu kashmir.

Which of the following dance form is characterised by the presence of an “effigy of a peacock”?

  1. Hiran dance
  2. Chowki Nach
  3. Dandaras dance
  4. Wuegi Nachun

Dandaras dance

Which of the following dances replaced “Hafiza Nagma” dance after it was banned in 1920?

  1. Bhand Jashn
  2. Keekli
  3. Bacha Nagma
  4. Wuegi Nachun

Bacha Nagma

The lead dancer and singer in Bacha Nagma is known as:

  1. Bacha nagma
  2. Nagma Kot
  3. Bacha Kot
  4. Bacha gyawun

Bacha Kot

Bacha Nagma prevalent in Kashmir region has it’s origin in:

  1. Kashmir itself
  2. Himachal Pradesh
  3. Pakistan
  4. Afghanistan

Afghanistan

Which of the following Kashmiri dances form originated in Dogra rule to highlight the miseries faced by the people in a satirical manner?

  1. Hikat
  2. Wuegi Nachun
  3. Bhand Pather
  4. Rouf

Bhand Pathar

On occasion of Eid, and during Ramzan, Kashmiri women perform:

  1. Bacha Nagma
  2. Wuegi Nachun
  3. Bhand Pather
  4. Rouf

Rouf

Letri is a:

  1. Labour dance
  2. Wedding dance
  3. Festival dance
  4. Birth dance

labour dance. Letri dance is performed by the people who are invited to cut the grass

These were some important MCQs on folk dances of Jammu Kashmir. We are sure that you will find this article on Folk dances of Jammu kashmir very useful and hope that you will share this with your friends.

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