Chari Dance

Understand

Where Chari Dance comes from

Chari dance is a women's folk dance of Rajasthan, particularly associated with the Ajmer and Kishangarh regions. The form originated in the routine of Rajasthani women collecting water from the village well — they would balance a brass or earthen pot (the chari) on the head, balanced with a lit diya inside or on top of it, and dance to celebrate the success of the women's collective work. The dance has been documented as a distinctive Rajasthani tradition in several folk-arts surveys and is performed primarily at weddings and on the festival of Holi.

How it's practiced

Chari dance is performed by teams of women who balance a brass or copper chari (pot) on the head — usually with a lit cotton wick or a diya inside, burning steadily as the dancer moves. The dancer grasps the sides of the pot to steady it but does not hold it from below. The choreography is quick footwork and small graceful turns, performed by women in the colourful Rajasthani sari and heavy jewellery. The dance is performed at weddings, Holi and at community gatherings, and is sometimes staged in competition between villages. The demanding skill of balancing the flaming pot has made Chari one of the most photographed Rajasthani folk dances.