Moniya Dance

Moniya Dance in Bundelkhand is performed every year during the festival of light Diwali/Deepawali in the end of October or first week of November according to lunar calendar. In this connection the epic story goes that “in Gokul” when Lord Krishna raised Govardhan Mountain on his finger to save his associates (milkmen), they danced in joy. The main instruments used in this dance are ‘Dholak’ and ‘Nagaria’ (both being a form of drums). The male dancers with long sticks show the marshal arts when the beats of drums inspire their energy and emotions. This dance is also performed as a ‘thanks giving’ after harvesting.

The dancers wear multi-colored apparels and the chief dancer holds the peacock feathers in his hands and the rest stick those feathers in their half pants.