Address:
DHAVLIDOD DANG, DANG ,GUJARAT - 394710
About type of art
Part 1 General Information
1. Name of TRI TRI, Gujarat
2. Name of Officer In charge for cultural mapping project with mobile no
Dr. Tejalben Adhvaryu, Research Assistant Mobile No.9427313765
Part 2 Specific Information Select the relevant section and fill out accordingly
Part 2 Specific Information Select the relevant section and fill out accordingly
A. Tribal Dance Forms
Name of Tribal Dance Pawari dance
Name of Tribe Konkani, Kunbi, Warli
Name of Performers with mobile Numbers Mr. Uttambhai Thakre Team Leader Meaning Significance
Pawari dance is traditionally performed by Dangi tribal people in the Dang district of Gujarat. Pawari a wind instrument made of cattle horn, wood, and dried gourd instrument is mainly used for performing the dance, this dance is known as Pawari dance. Pavari dance is a special dance performed during the worship of Dungardev. While the Dungardev Mela is held every five years, the Pawari dance accompanied by many Pawari tunes create the atmosphere and people with devotion and jubilation.
Dungardev festival is celebrated in the Dang district every year after Diwali in the month of Kartak. Konkani, Kunbi, Warli, Kotwalia, Dangi Bhil tribes are native tribe dwelling in the Dang district. All these tribes worship Dangardev. Today mainly the people of Konkani, Kunbi tribes perform Pawari dance during the festival of Dungardev. Apart from Dungardev festival, Pawari dance is also performed in Dang Durbar, Ganesh festival, Shivratri, Navratri, Holi, socio-cultural festivals as well as government organized events.
The gods and goddesses of nature are propitiated through Pavari dance. This dulcet, melodious instrument has been invented by tribals connected with nature. To play this instrument, one has to blow continuously, which produces melodious musical notes due to the harmony of the blown air and the breathing process. Mr. Uttambhai Thackeray, President of Pavari Nritya Shiv Mandal of Don Village Dist. Ahva, Dist. Dang of Ahwa Taluka, Dang District, and Powerist Mr. Uttambhai Thackeray says for struggles in human life, diseases, wild beasts and poisonous creatures as well as happiness in family and village, They worship Dungardev for peace and prosperity. He says that before covid19, his group used to get 5,6 orders every month in government sponsored programs, which used for the livelihood, but after covid19 it has reduced, i.e. only through pawari dance.
Performance Context
Dungardev festival is celebrated in the Dang district every year after Diwali in the month of Kartak. Pawari dance is mainly performed during the worship of Dungardev, in which the Pawari instrument is mainly used as the instrument. An artist who plays a powri is known as a powerkar. Typically ten to twelve members dance in a Pawari dance, with two or four Pawari players being the Pawarkar. Sometimes all the members of all groups dance with Pawari. During the Pawari dance, the Powerkar plays with the Pawari by doing different arts. 50,60 men dance with pawari players in the festival of Dungardev. There is no limit to the number of persons participating in Pawari dance during social, cultural, religious festivals, anyone can dance to Pawari tunes. When a Pawari dance troupe is invited to a professional event, two or four Pawari players, one Bhungla piper like player, one Kanjari tambourine player, one Katmadi player and the rest dance with tapara bamboo sticks held vertically and struck on the ground.
A 10 day festival of Dungardev is celebrated in the Dang district, in which the people living in each village in Konkani, Kunbi tribe celebrate the festival of Dungardev together as a family according to their gotra. Generally, every genos gotra celebrates the festival of Dungardev every five years, but today sometimes if the economic condition of the people of the genos gotra is well sound, they celebrate the festival of Dungardev every two or three years, which lasts for 10 days. The expenses incurred for this festival are borne collectively by the families included in the gotra.
For this festival, a public place in the village is chosen by the Bhuwa hex bhagats devotee and leading persons of the genos at this place the festival is started with a ritual performed by the Bhuwa hex bhagats devotees of the genos. From the first day of the festival to the last day, all the men of the genos celebrating the festival collectively perform all the rituals at this place. Men cannot go to their homes during these 10 days. Arrangements for food, water, and overnight stay etc. for all the men are done collectively at this place like a family. From the second day all the people dance & sing with Pawari dance and collect grain, money as donation from each family in the five surrounding villages. During this time all the men perform Pawari dance along with the Pawari players.
On the last day of the festival, all the men visit to the hill of the village with the collected grain, money and worship the Dungardev and offer the collected grain, money to the god, on that day all people stay there and spend the whole night there . On the next day, coming to the festival site in the village, the festival is concluded after religious worship with Pavari dance and a communal meal.
Costumes and Jewellery
Pawari dance is performed only by men. Men wear colourful turbans or safos, colourful attractive dark robes and chudidar chori during the dance. A belt of coloured cloth binds the gown at the waist, making the appearance of gown darker. Actors wear the anklet bells in feets. In this way the Pawari dance is performed by dressing up in colourful beautiful clothes. Pawari dance is performed by men only, so special ornaments are not used.
Music and Instruments
Pawari dance mainly uses Pawari instruments. Pavri is made from bottle gourd. The bottle gourd is carved, removing seeds, hollowed out and arranged at its upper end in two poly rods of bamboo. While the lower end is arranged by making a bulls horn or palm leaf bhungalu piper, the middle joints are made with beeswax and the pawari is decorated with feathers and various kinds of tassels. To play this instrument, one has to blow continuously, so that the melodious tones of the music are produced.
Pawari dance uses two or four Pawari instruments, a khanjari tambourine, two bhunglas pipers, a katambadi and five, six taparas bamboo sticks cut in the middle in such a way that music is produced when the bottom is held vertically and struck on the ground. From which beautiful music is produced. During the dance the performers sing songs in their dialect. As the tunes of the Pawari instrument merge with the wrath of the songs, along with the music of other instruments, the music of Pawari music creates a very pleasant atmosphere. A common characteristic of this music is that of nature music. Like the buzzing of a bumblebee. The beauty increases manifold. Indeed, the privilege of watching, learning and enjoying the Pawari dance traditionally performed in the lap of nature is very enjoyable.