Gomira , An ancient dance form rural Bengal.

Share:

I had travelled to North Bengal in order to capture the local folk dance, known as the Gomira Dance, that had piqued my interest. Actually, gomira dance is a type of mask dance. The folk dance makes use of wooden masks. It is a part of their traditions and form of worship. The Gomira Mask is located in the North Dinajpur District of West Bengal. The two fundamental variations of the dance are the Gomira form and the Ram-vanvas form. This dance belongs to the category of Adi-sakti ceremonial dance. The Gomira is a dance style that is performed to honour Lord Shiva, much like other dance styles like Gajon and Neel puja. The Gomira dance is often held from mid-April to mid-july and is primarily celebrated during the Bengali months of Baishakh-Jasthya and Asarh. The dance is also performed when mangoes are being harvested. when Amat-puja kali's is observed. These dances are also conducted at Saman Kali's puja, which has no regular schedule. In some parts of the north Dinajpur district of west Bengal, the village of Mahisbathan is the Kusmundi Block, the art of making Gomira masks, or mukha, is practised. Dance movement is free from any rules or prescribed patterns. To develop their own movement is a natural way. Traditionally, the Gomira dance starts with the entry of two characters Buro-Buri, who are actually the human forms of Shiva and Parvati. Originally, the Gomira masks are crafted from neem wood, as per hindu mythology. The Gomira craftmen are from Rajbonshi community and do not belong to any particular caste. According to Gomira tradition, these Gods took human shape and descended on earth so they may bless the humans and help them fight the forces of evil and established a righteous way of life.