Bhopal: Women Perform Dhunuchi Dance At Contest

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Women performed Dhunuchi dance at Kali Badi near Danish Kunj Bridge in Bawadiya Kalan in the city on Monday It was part of concluding day of three-day Dhunuchi Dance Contest under Bong Fest Nights.

Wearing traditional attire, six women presented Dhunuchi dance on the final day of the contest which enchanted the audience. They were Krishna Chatterjee, Munmun Bhattacharya, Alpona Das, Putool Mukherjee, Bireshwar Mukherjee and Subhashish Chatterjee.

Dhunuchi dance, which is performed to the beats of dhak, is a special offering to Goddess Durga. Dancing with dhunuchi is an age-old tradition.

Men and women wearing traditional kurtas and sarees take up an earthen pot carrying burning coconut scrapes that are being held in their hands or even in their mouths as they dance away with the sound of dhaak.

In the religious scriptures, it is said that when Devi Durga fought with Mahishasur, the devotees of Devi Durga performed the dance to provide strength and energy to the goddess.

The dance form is intense and takes effort to execute. Mita Wadhwa, a member of Kali Badi said, “This time in Kolar Kali Bari, this tradition was given more importance so that coming generations can know it and carry them forward. Women performed more and showcased their skills,” she added.