Nati Folk Dance Himachal Pradesh

Himachal Pradesh still retains its traditional appeal and celebrates the major fairs and festivals with the accompaniment of the Performing Arts of Himachal Pradesh. This brings a new color to the richly hued fairs and festivals. Nati Folk Dance in Himachal Pradesh is one of them. Mainly celebrated with the Losar or the New Year Festival, Nati as a Performing Art in Himachal Pradesh has a languid yet abstract sequence. Much like the slowly swaying trees, soft hilly breeze, and smoothly flowing rivers, this dance reflects the languid elegance of Himachal Pradesh.

On every celebration and occasion, the people of Himachal Pradesh perform Nati Dance. From the birth of a child to marriage and harvesting season to the festival, locals of Himachal show their happiness by performing their folk dance. Locals wear their traditional dresses and come together to perform rhythmic music. There are numerous types of Nati Dances in Himachal Pradesh, which depict every region’s rich cultural heritage and traditions. This popular Nati Dance holds a record in the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest folk dance. You can attend the dance and indulge in the festivities with our Himachal Pradesh tour package, which are customizable and you can book the tour with us!

Description of Nati Folk Dance in Himachal Pradesh:

Nati is among the most important dance forms in the Performing Arts of Himachal Pradesh. Through the slow swaying movements of their body, the dancing men and women welcome their New Year. Nati Folk Dance in Himachal Pradesh is performed by people dancing in the form of circles or sometimes in rows. The performers generally wear richly hued costumes, attach a feather in their hair, and dance in a slow rhythm with a sweet smile. It is said that the Nati Folk Dance in Himachal Pradesh is ‘Losar Shona Chuksom’, which announces the forthcoming New Year.

This dance is based on the mythological epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata. Every season and occasion has a unique song dedicated to it. These folk dances not only depict the rich culture. However, it also portrays the religious values of the people.

Aim of the Nati Folk Dance in Himachal Pradesh:

Nati Folk Dance in Himachal Pradesh not only greets the New Year but also celebrates the rich harvest that men of Himachal Pradesh have strived to produce. The reaping and harvesting of crops are celebrated with Nati-Folk Dance in Himachal Pradesh, this being the time for reaping the rich golden harvest from the fields. Thus Nati Folk Dance of Himachal Pradesh has a twofold purpose. On the one hand, it celebrates the New Year, while on the other, it celebrates the rich harvest. Locals also perform this folk dance on auspicious occasions such as birth, marriage, and festivities. Both men and women dressed in colorful attire to dance together and celebrate the occasion.

Types of Nati Dances:

There are different types of Nati dances that are performed in Himachal Pradesh. All these dances vary from region to region and also, and the technique of these dances differ. This folk dance depicts the rich cultural heritage of every district of the state. Mixed groups of men and women perform these dances. Each style of dance has its type of dress and music. There are seven types of Nati dances in Himachal such as:

• Sirmauri Nati Dance
• Shimla Nati Dance
• Lahauli Nati Dance
• Kinnauri Nati Dance
• Kulluvi Nati Dance
• Mahasuvi Nati Dance
• Gaddi Nati Sance

The most popular among them are Kullu Nati and Kinnauri Nati. The Kullu Nati dance performs on Dussehra and depicts the stories related to the life of Lord Krishna and his ras-lila with Gopis.

Kinnauri Nati is performed during the New Year Festival. The dancers portray the bucolic nature of the hills, trees, and the smooth flowing rivers. During the New Year and harvest festival, every region of Himachal is celebrated and Nati Dance performs throughout the state.

Local people have followed these traditional dance forms for ages. This dance form generally depicts stories that are narrated through songs. The locals dance in groups of men and women to the tunes of the various local instruments as well as local dialects. Dhol, Nagara, Shehnai, Karnal, and Narsinghe are the popular musical instruments that are played during Nati with folk songs.

Nati Dance of Himachal Pradesh is popular throughout the world. The locals especially perform these dances during marriages and functions to enhance the charm of these occasions. Moreover, people perform this dance form to impress the local deities during the festivals.