India is a land full of life. The soil itself is so diversely spread across the country that we can grow numerous varieties of crops for a considerably good harvest. With agriculture comes animal husbandry and cattle rearing. Our farmers have always been very smart. They’ve always done both of these together to be safe when it comes to revenue. With great land resources and talent, it is clear that we are an animal husbandry & agriculture based country.
Currently, even farmers (rural people) have smartphones and access to the internet. But back in the days, just a few decades ago, electricity itself was unfamiliar. Now the big question is, how did they spend time? That’s where art forms like Dhangari gaja come in.
‘Dhangars’ are the shepherd rearers of Maharashtra. The word Dhangar comes from the Sanskrit word ‘Dhenu’ which means cow. They take their cattle for rearing uphill. When the cattle enjoy their hearty meal of grass, the Dhangars relax. They sing ‘Ovi’ (Dhangari Marathi songs) of Khandoba (reincarnation of Lord shiva) and Biruba. They express gratitude to god for giving them and their cattle a happy and healthy life. The songs are purely devotional and involves their heartfelt joy, love and thankfulness. They also dance to the beat of Dhols. This is usually done in groups because every man in the shepherd community performs this. The dance involves simple steps and
minimalistic props. Shepherd’s crook is sometimes used as a prop. Their costumes are traditional Marathi wear. They wear a white dhoti, angarakha (Kathiawari-style white dress), Petha (turban) with beautifully designed handkerchiefs. This art form is also quite popular in some parts of Goa and northern Karnataka.
Basically, the performance is done to seek blessings from their god Biruba. The Dhangars are illiterate people. It’s beautiful how they’re so good at expressing devotion through music and dance. It’s not the way others express it, it is different and it stands out. Let’s celebrate the differences.
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