Dhalo- A Goan folk dance

 

by Samiksha Parulekar

 

Dhalo is a dance form performed by kunbis, Bhandari, Naik, Gabit and Gaudi communities. Legend tells us that radha used to sing love songs (dhalos) to Krishna. In the beginning the dhalos referred only to the love of Krishna and Radha. Later people gradually developed the songs and they started to sing praises to other Gods too.

 

The Dhalo songs tell the stories of life, society and harmonious relationship of women with nature. Through these songs, women reflect their devotion for the Earth Goddess (Dharti Mata) and the Forest Goddess (Van Devata). Women have been worshipping Mother Earth from times immemorial in varied forms and the various traditional women folk festivals, folkdances and folksongs reflect their devotion to the life-producing Mother. The people of rural areas still worship nature through various festivals, and the festival of Dhalo is an example of this. The Dhalo and its songs reveal our bond with various facets of nature. There are various Dhalo songs that make reference of the flora and fauna. It is believed that the deities, who are invited through the Dhalo songs, come to the ‘Dhalyacho Mand’ to give blessings to the women    present       there.

On the day the dhalos start, either on a Wednesday or a Sunday, the women decorate with rangoli the angod (open space in the house, where the tulass is installed) and also near the temple). Women from the village are present however the widows do not participate in the dhalos. The women offer thalli (rice, moog and jaggery), which is then cooked and served to those present.

 

The leader locally known as Mandkann invokes a salutation to the divinity, the Earth Mother and seeks blessings for the whole village and for the festival rituals. The women sing about the clothes ornaments and looks of Gods. The songs are typical but sometimes there are simple and spontaneous additions. The singing continues till late in the night.

 

Around midnight the various dances and games start. Stories are narrated and any events are described through the songs and dances. These dances are performed on the first six nights of Dhalo. It is interesting to note that the dances and the ngs are traditional and there are no props. Originally the themes of the songs sung during the dhalo were about Krishna’s romance  the  Ramayana  and  the Mahabharata. However of late Marathi and Hindi songs is included in the pertoire. The women of Goa have kept alive the tradition of Dhalo, which reflects the rich cultural heritage of the state.