| Karthi
Karthi is the only mixed dance of men and women, which used to be more
popular in the hills, than in the plains.
While the Bhangra and the Jhumar
are not preceded by any ritual to a deity, in the Karthi, offerings are
first made to a deity, at a harvest time. This is followed by women leading
the processions and singing songs. The men follow, and then a circle is
formed with men and women alternating and linking hands. The accompanying
songs are sentimental, and tell of battles fought and victories won, of
the union and quarrels of lovers. The tempo of the Karthi is a slower
than the tempo of the other two dances. There is much clapping of hands
both singly and in pairs. While no wind instruments are used in the Bhangra
and the Jhumar, a folk Shenai and other wind instruments are in evidence
in the Karthi. |
