Ghumura (ଘୁମୁରା ନୃତ୍ୟ) is the signature folk dance of Kalahandi district in south-western Odisha. It is named after its instrument, the ghumura, a drum made from an earthen pot. The dancer ties the drum to the chest and plays it with both hands while dancing. Ghumura is performed by groups of male dancer-drummers in colourful costume. It is traditionally linked with Nuakhai and Dasahara. According to tradition and many researchers, it began as war music for soldiers.
Where is Ghumura from?
Ghumura belongs above all to Kalahandi, where it is regarded as the district's most popular folk dance. It is also found in neighbouring parts of south-western and western Odisha. Accounts of its history associate it with the former royal courts of the region, including Bhawanipatna, Jayapatna, Madanpur Rampur and Khariar. Rulers there are said to have supported Ghumura troupes.
The ghumura instrument
The ghumura is a clay pot with a narrow neck. Its wide mouth is covered with a stretched drumhead. The dancer hangs it across the chest and plays it with the hands while moving. This gives Ghumura its unusual look: the drum and the dancer move together as one.
A traditional explanation of the name splits it into parts. Ghum is taken to mean the bowl-shaped pot, u is linked with Lord Shiva, and ra is linked with the vibrating sound. In the same tradition the instrument is described as combining qualities of Shiva's damaru and Saraswati's veena. These explanations come from folk belief, not linguistic research.
History: from war music to festival dance
Many researchers believe Ghumura began as war music. In this view it was played to stir up soldiers and paikas (the traditional foot soldiers of Odisha) before and after battle. Later it became a form of entertainment and celebration. Some go further and link it to the Ramayana, but that is legend.
Writers on Ghumura also point to sculpture at the Konark Sun Temple, which they say shows a drummer playing a pot drum like the ghumura. This is offered as evidence that the instrument existed in the medieval period. Researchers do not agree on how old the dance is, and the dates given in popular sources should be treated with caution.
Scholars also debate how to classify it. Ghumura is usually called a folk dance because of its costume and setting. However, some researchers argue that its steps and hand gestures (mudras) resemble those of India's classical dance forms.
How is Ghumura performed?
A Ghumura troupe usually includes:
- Dancer-drummers, traditionally men, each playing a ghumura
- Singers, who lead the songs
- Accompanying musicians, whose line-up varies from troupe to troupe
The dancers move in lines and circles. They bend, jump and turn in step while keeping a strong, shared rhythm on the pot drums. Performances usually begin slowly and build to fast, energetic finales.
Songs and competitions
Ghumura songs cover devotion, love, friendship and everyday life. Traditionally, troupes from different villages held song-and-dance competitions during festivals such as Dasahara. In these contests, singers sometimes raised social, economic and political issues of the day in their verses. This made Ghumura a form of community commentary as well as entertainment.
When is Ghumura performed?
Ghumura is traditionally tied to:
- Dasahara, the autumn festival
- Nuakhai, the harvest festival of new grain, which is celebrated widely across western Odisha
Today it is also staged at fairs, cultural festivals, school and college events, and state programmes. Ghumura troupes have represented India at events in Delhi and abroad, including Moscow.
Ghumura and Odisha's other folk dances
Ghumura is one of several drum-led folk forms in western Odisha. Others include the Sambalpuri dances such as Dalkhai. Ghumura shares their festival setting and energy but stands apart for its pot drum and for being danced mainly by men. Its martial past is sometimes compared with Chhau, another Odisha dance associated with warrior traditions, although the two are quite different in style.