Folk dances of Assam: a short appraisal

The folk traditions of Assam encompass a great variety of occasions and events to celebrate. Farmers and agricultural workers have a dance to welcome practically every seasonal change. They dance with joyous abandon to create for themselves their raison d ’ etre- a reinstatement of beliefs rooted in the mythology of their land and culture. Originating in the harvest festivals of our ancient ancestors, when the gods were invoked or appeased through magical verses and dancing feet, the folk dances retain much of the spontaneity and vitality of their primary impulse. In earlier times, man supposedly bridged his world and the one beyond through dance, assuming the role of gods and demons; even today, the dancing steps take their cue from nature, which at times is conquered, and at others, befriended. There is an essential rhythm that binds the dancer and the environment into a