The state of Telangana is located in the central region  of the Indian peninsula. It is known as the youngest state of India that was carved from Andhra Pradesh on June 2, 2014. A combination of two cultures takes place in this state – north and south Indian cultures. Dance and music are a fundamental part of the culture of Telangana. The dances and music include many colourful costumes and involve ancient and unique instruments. The music and dance culture of Telangana is extremely vibrant and a colourful part of the state.

Most importantly, all these cultural forms of dance and music are performed with great enthusiasm all over the state. The music and dance culture of Telangana is famous all over India. The further sections will elucidate the dance and music forms that make Telangana special.

Musical forms of Telangana

The major music forms of Telangana are – Carnatic and folk music.

Carnatic Music

  • Bhakta Ramadasu, also known as Kancherla Gopanna, was a follower of Lord Rama in the 17th century and was a famous composer-singer and lyricist of Carnatic music.
  • Carnatic music is usually performed by small musicians with a lead performer known as a singer. They usually use a violin and a tambura throughout the performance.
  • The largest concentration of Carnatic musicians can be found in the city of Chennai.

Folk Music

  • Popular composer Annamacharya has written lots of folk songs in Telugu
  • A wide variety of folk music can be seen in Telangana. They are Oggu Katha, Sarada Kala, suvvi patalu
  • Folk songs are sung by the villagers who prefer to wish to their Gods for rain and while cultivating the fields for a great harvest
  • Folk songs can be Sara Mika or labour songs, kids songs, ethical songs
  • Ogg Katha is a narration  of various stories of Gods Oggu Katha comprises a narrator and his chorus who aid in the dramatisation of lyrics
  • Shamika Songs are labour songs sung by various categories of workers working in the fields 

Major Dance Forms In Telangana

The state is celebrated for its splendid culture and dances. Some of the most popular folk dances of Telangana are Perini Sivatandavam, Lamadi, Dhimsa Dance, Gussadi dance, and Dappu dance.

Gussadi Dance

  • Gussadi dance is a folk dance of Telangana. It is a well-known dance for gods of the Adilabad district.  They dress up in colourful costumes and are adorned with ornaments
  • The group of people dancing are called Dandri dance groups. Each member wears a turban made of peacock feathers and deer antlers, an artificial beard and moustache and goatskin to cover the body and dances by stepping towards the right and left sides in a circle.
  • This starts on the full moon day and ends until the fourteenth day of the Deepavali.

Dhimsa Dance

  • Dhimsa is a tribal dance form that Porja caste women present. The apparel is colourful with earthy tones of green and yellow. The dancers put on sarees that fall simply beneath the knee. Their necks are embellished with tribal ornaments.
  • This expressive dance is done with the moves of the toes and palms of the group appearing in a circle. This dance may be executed by the girls and women in the community.

Lambadi Dance

  • Lambadi dance is a folk dance of Telangana performed by the Banjara tribe. They have their dances and musical instruments while representing Lambadi dance, and women wear blouses or shirts with a skirt. They take an Odhani (chunni) from the head. 
  • Every part of their cloth is closely ornamented with glasswork. The colours they put on fit with their heavy jewellery    

 Perini Sivatandavam

  • Perini Sivatandavam’s other name is Perini Thandavam. 
  • It is an early dance form during the duration of the Kakatiya dynasty. 
  • The dance form is connected with Lord Shiva.
  • This is the dance of warriors presented by men who dance to the music of bells and drums. They dance in front of Lord Shiva’s idol before entering the battlefield. It involves five parts: fireplace, water, air, earth, wind, and celebrates Om.
  • The Ramappa Temple in Warangal influences sculptures of assorted postures of Perini Shiva Thandavam dance
  • The Perini dance form almost vanished after the turndown of the Kakatiya dynasty. Still, Padmasri Dr Nataraja Ramakrishna put forward a renaissance to Perini dance which was on the border of destruction.

Dappu Dance 

  • The Dappu dance is similar to the north Indian dance known as Dandora. The Dappu dance is a popular dance form of Telangana. 
  • The dance originated in a small district called Nizamabad located in Andhra Pradesh.
  • Although this dance is famous in Telangana, it is not known to many people in the country. 
  • It is known by different names in the state, like Tapetta and Palaka.
  • The name ‘Dappu’ is inspired by the unique and rhythmic musical instrument called Dappu. The Dappu musical instrument is a drum with a shape similar to a tambourine. The instrument uses two strong sticks to beat this drum to generate loud and rhythmic music.
  • The dancers that perform the Dappu dance accompany festivals, jatras, carnivals, and other important events that involve large crowds. 
  • This dance uses attractive costumes and energising steps to showcase the power of percussive dancing. 

Conclusion

 The Telangana state is located in the central segment of the Indian peninsula. Dance and music are a fundamental part of the culture of Telangana. The dance and music culture of Telangana are performed with great enthusiasm all over the state. The dance and music forms of Telangana are famous all over India. The major music forms of Telangana are – Carnatic and folk music.  The state is also celebrated for its splendid folk dances. The folk dances that make Telangana unique are – Gussadi dance, Dhimsa dance, Lambadi dance,  Perini Sivatandavam, and Dappu dance.  The music and dance forms of Telangana are performed with great enthusiasm all over the state.