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Chari Dance is a folk dance in the Indian state of
Rajasthan. Chari dance is a female group dance. It
is related to Ajmer and Kishangarh. Chari dance is
prominent in Gujjar and Saini community of
Kishangarh and Ajmer and known all over Rajasthan.
The Chari dance is performed at marriage
celebrations, on the birth of a male child and at
celebrations and festivals of goodness.
During the Chari dance, colorfully dressed,
bejeweled women hold earthenware or brass Chari pots
on their heads. Often, the Chari are set on lit Diya
(oil lamp) or fire with cotton seeds immersed in
oil. Dancers carry a flaming pot on their head
without touching it, while performing graceful
movements of limbs and deep swirls of knees. To make
the dance look more attractive lines of lighted
patterns are created as the dancers move quietly
around the floor.
Chari dance is played with Nagada, Dholak, Dhol
Harmonium, Thali(an autophonic instrument) and
Bankia. Bankia is the most common. It produces a
powerful, eerie sound in dexterous hands. Dancers
wear Rajasthani golden ornaments named Hansli,
Timniya, Mogri, Punchi, Bangdi, Gajra, Armlets,
Karli, Kanka and Navr.
These lit pots display beautiful effect in the dark
night. While performing the Chari dance woman dance
with balancing brass pots (Chari) on their heads and
move together and dance on a same sequence. This
dance does not have any particular movements except
balancing the pots on their heads. This dance is
also known as a welcome dance and is a significance
of goodness. It can also be considered as the
traditional fire dance of Rajasthan.
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