The music and dance of Telangana
Telanagan houses some of the most exotic and divine forms of music and dance. The music is not just lyrics sung to a melodious tune, but provoke thought in a humorous manner. Some of the most revered lyric writers have contributed to the cultural wealth Of Telanagana. The dance is equally exotic- showcasing some of the most vibrant dances. So enter the world of music and dance!
The Music of Telangana
Oggu Katha
Oggukatha is a classic way of storytelling done through music. It is traditional folk singing done by wandering ballads. They praise Siva- known as Mallanna in their stories. They have full freedom to dramatise the narrative apart from the traditional singing. This is usually done at marriages. They also show the marriage of Mallana and Brahmramba (his consort). It is a very popular form of entertainment among the rural masses.
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Burrakatha
Burrakatha is a form of storytelling done with the instrument Burra. This form of storytelling evolved from Tandana Katha. The Burra Katha is done by a group of three people. The main artist is the one who sings the ballads and plays the Burra. His narratives are usually derived from Indian Mythology. The other two people are known as vatakalu. One of the person is called Rajkiya who adds to the narrative with his political and social commentary. The other one is Hasyam who adds to the narrative with his jokes.
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Qawwali
Qawwali is Sufi devotional music. It is a form of expression of devotion towards the almighty done usually by Sufi saints. It uses a variety of instrumnets and has an interesting way of clapping to add to the songs.
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Kancherla Gopanna- the devotee of Rama, and a lyricist
Kancharla Gopanna, also known as Ramdas, was a lyricist who sang his own lyrics to his tune. He built the famous Ram temple of Bhadrachalam. This iconic figure was a pioneer of devotional music and was born during the reign of the last Qutub Shahi.
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The Dances of Telangana
Perini Shivathandavam
This dance was popularised during the Kakatiya dynasty. It was performed by soldiers before the war in front of the Shiva idol. It was the 'Dance of Warriors' and sculptures of this dance are shown in Ramappa temple. The dance is very vigorous and is accompanied by drum beats.
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Dhamal dance
The Dhamal dance is done by the Siddhis of the Hyderabad region. The Siddhis were originally from Africa and Abyssinia. They were brought as slaves by the Andhras in the 12th century for guarding their places. This dance involves martial arts along with shields and swords. This is a ceremonial dance performed during marriages.
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Chindu Bhagvatham
This dance is a variant of Yakshgana (A dance from Karnataka). This dance form combines dance, music, dialogue, costume, make-up and stage techniques. The word chindu means jump, and this dance is interspersed with a lot of leaps and jumps. The tales of this dance are taken from the Bhagvatham.
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