Dalkariya

Understand

Where Dalkariya comes from

Dalkariya is the closing dance of the Jat-Jatra folk-dance cycle of Mithila (the dance-cycle that includes Phag, Bichhua, Ghatwar and Bhilwa in sequence). The word 'Dalkariya' derives from dal-'k', an old word for the cold light just after dawn — the dance is therefore the dawn-finale of the all-night Jat-Jatra cycle. Dalkariya is performed by the male dancers of the hereditary folk-dance community of the Mithila region (particularly Kishanganj and Araria districts) in the morning after the all-night dance cycle. The dance marks the formal close of the Jat-Jatra performance and is associated with themes of triumph and the dawn of auspicious action.

How it's practiced

Dalkariya is performed by the men of the troupe in the early-morning hours as the final number of the Jat-Jatra cycle. The dance is fast and energetic, with vigorous jumps, kicks and the circling motion that signals the end of the night. The accompanying music is the dhol and shehnai in the dawn tempo, with the sung lyrics (the Dalkariya chaap) celebrating the morning. Costume is the same Mithila dance dress as in the other Jat-Jatra dances — the dhoti-kurta for the men and the character-played women in full-skirted traditional attire. The Dalkariya is sung at the dawn ceremony in front of the village shrine.