This material art of Himachal Pradesh is also known as the art of Archery.Thoda depends on one's talent with the boe and arrow.Mandi or Mandav Nagar in Himachal Pradesh is known as Varanasi of Hills. The place has a number of Siva temples and is also called 'Chhoti (small) Kashi'.
This theatre form is popular in Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh. IT is more dialogue-oriented than movement -oriented, REligious stories and folk tales are enacted by a group of ten or twelve persons.
Tarangamel is a folk dance perormed in Goa on the occasions of Dussera and Holi by young boys and girls. The dance form derives its name from the streamers also known as 'tarang' involved in the dance. Ovi, is a form of folk music usually sung in Maharashtra and Goa. The songs are orally conveyed through generations of women, who sing them for leisure and also during their household work. Dashavatar, a theatre form is of the Komkan and Goa regions. The performers persoify the ten incamations of Lord Vishnu. The performers wear masks.
Jat-Jatin, folk dance form, is traditionally performed by couple in the Mithilaregion of Bihar. Paika, is a martial dance form performed in Bihar. The dancers use long spear named 'Paika'. Bihar is also famous for Mhadhubani painting. Yampuri, a form of pupperty is also from Bihar.
The classical dance form of Sattriya was introduced in the 15th century A.D by the Vaishnava saint and reformer of Assam, Sankaradeva, for propogation of the Vaishnava faith. It was later nurtured and preserved by Vaishnava monasteries called the Sattras. Hence the dance form came to be known as Sattriya. The themes played relate to Krishna and Radha, sometimes other Vishnu avatars such as Rama and Sita.
The classical dance form of Kuchipudi originated in a village named Kuchipudi in Andhra pradesh . The creator of this dance form is Siddhendra Yogi, a Vaishnava poet. Later, technique like dancing on the rim of a brass plate and with a pitcher full of water on the head were introduced . Vedantam Lakshminarayana Sastri Vempati Venkatanarayana Sastri and Chinta Venkataramayya were the prominent personalities who revived Kuchipudi . The American dancer Esther Sherman who moved to India and changed her name to Ragini Devi, played a major role in popularizing this dance form. Indrani Rahman (daughter of Ragni Devi) and Yamini Krishnamurti were other proponents of Kuchipudi.Kuchipudi is accompanied by Carnatic music.
