Bhavai: Folk Dance of Gujarat
Bhavai is as much a form of entertainment as it is a kind of ritual offering made to the goddess Amba. According to scholars, the term Bhavai is composed of two words - Bhava and Aai. Bhava means universe and Aai is mother; together they signify the mother of the universe, Amba. Another interesting definition comes from the fact that the three letters of Bha-va-I symbolize the Past, Present and Future. Thus, through Bhavai the performers try to interpret the present based on learning from the past while depicting future scenarios.
Hudo Dance
Hudo is a one of the well known of folk dance of Gujarat. It is the folk dance form of Bharwad Tribe, the shepherd community of Gujarat. The idea of the dance originated from sheep fights. The movements of two sheep ramming their heads are duplicated in this dance form. The dancers clap their hands in a forceful and rhythmic manner. Both men and women participate in Hudo Dance. There is also a tradition of selecting their life partners at the end of the dance. In this dance both the men and women of the village participate. The men wear colorful dhotis with embroidered borders, Koti, Traditional cap with colorful frill and they wear silver ornaments like Kadu, Tavij, Kadi and Colorful mala. The women, on the other hand, wear Dark colored Jimy, Kapdu, Odhani and they wear silver jewellery like Long necklace, Sort necklace, Earrings, Chudla, Kadu and Damani.
Rathwa ni Geri
Rathwa ni Geri is a tribal dance of Rathwa community in Gujarat. It is found in the areas of Vadodara district and Panhcmahal Districts, belonging to the south eastern parts of the state of Gujarat.