SA Dances of India Series Ep. 3: Thoda

[@alinanaqvi3487]

Interestingly, one of my friends from Garhwal region also told me of a somewhat similar dance/ritual called Jagar Gatha. She explained that the Pandavas take possession of the body of five people and they have to prove themselves through different tests. They wield traditional swords, dance during the possession and use different musical instruments.

[@speakingarchaeologically]

We must try to document it if possible.

[@simrankaursaini9362]

I remember seeing this dance form in one of the fairs I had gone to during my visit to Solan last year. I was very much perplexed by this dance and unfortunately got not get any substantial information about it afterwards. Thank you so much for posting this video! It is interesting to note how one dance form carries within it various shades of other performative art and sports, and skillfully proceeds to narrate the oral folklore. It is disheartening to see that this dance is becoming very rare, and therefore it is hight time that we strive harder than ever before to preserve it before it is lost forever.

[@thetometravellingbaba]

Thoda means so much for me as a dance because we have landmarks in the town named after it and have wall arts about this but I had never seen it in person because of how rare it has become so rare! Thank you for posting this!❤️

[@familychapoda1161]

Well documented!