Langvir Nritya

Understand

Where Langvir Nritya comes from

Langvir Nritya is the men's acrobatic dance of the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, performed by the strongest and most agile young men of the village in a show of physical skill. The form is associated with the warrior culture of the Garhwal hills and with the Garhwali tradition of the martial arts. The dance is performed at the village festivals of Garhwal, particularly at the Harela and the Bikhauti (the autumn-equinox and the spring-equinox festivals of the region). The dance is recognised as one of the most distinctive regional traditions of the Garhwal hills and is regularly performed at state cultural programmes.

How it's practiced

Langvir Nritya is performed by a single strongman (or a small group of strongmen) in the centre of a circle of men, with the men clapping and singing. The dance is a display of physical feat — the performer dancing vigorously to the dhol and the shehnai, then climbing a polished chula (a tall pole of sal wood, typically 20-30 feet high) and balancing at the top, with the audience clapping in encouragement. The dance is performed at the Harela festival, the Bikhauti and the Baisakhi of the Garhwal region. Costume is the everyday regional dress — the dhoti and the kurta, with the woollen phiran (the woollen Garhwali coat) for the cold weather.