Bengali Folk Dance
Bengal, a land of fecundity and prosperity embraces all within her fold. The varied hues of her rich culture colour her songs, music and literature. The numerous tribes and ethnic groups of Bengal have their own distinctive folk arts, as varied and beautiful as the tribes themselves. Bengal's repertoire of folk songs with its lyrical appeal and richness, its thematic diversity and range is a reflection of rural Bengals creativity and imagination. As a traditional art form, folk dances of Bengal have gained immense popularity and recognition over the years. The dances contain themes that range from ritualistic to satirical and from allegorical to social. They involve prayers, offerings, celebrations and odes. Usually performed during festive seasons, or to mark a happy occasion, these dances ingrained in folk culture, reflect local faith, tradition and custom. These dances encompass a broad spectrum, from invoking the rain Gods for a good harvest to depicting mythological events.