Folk Dance forms of India

DOLLU KUNITHA
Karnataka region has tribes who are predominantly hunters and food-gatherers. They have a large repertoire of songs and dances which revolve around hunting, food-gathering and burial funeral rites. The dodavas of Karnataka perform the Balakat dance at harvest time.

The ritual dances revolving around worship of Lord Subramanya are called Kavadis. The state has an immense treasure house of other ritualistic dances, all denoted by the generic term Kunitha. In Puja Kunitha, there is a wooden structure with a deity on the head; Devare Thatte Kunitha, Yell-ammana Kunitha, Suggikunitha and others, each taking its name from the deity or the symbol or instrument which is balanced on the head, or held in the hand. The Dollu Kunitha is a popular drum dance of Karnataka. The men have large drums, decorated with coloured cloth, slung from their necks, and they beat the drums as they dance with nimble movements of the feet and legs. The dance is at times accompanied by songs, which are either religious or in praise of war.