¤ Dances of Himachal Pradesh

Dance for the Himachalis is almost as indispensable as food, water and air. No festive occasion, however small, goes without dancing.
All regions have their own dances, moulded by the ecology and the physical environment.
For instance, the Kinnauris of the high north have cluster formations and strong cohesive lines in their dances while the women of southern Chamba pirouette, circle and frisk around, symbolizing spring and open spaces. The movement patterns and the music cannot be dissociated from the occupations of the people.

With a medley of tribes and village communities, HP has an astonishingly large number of dances, with themes ranging from seasons and everyday life to myths and legends.

¤ Himachal Pradesh Music

Himachal does not have a classical music or dance tradition, but the rich and varied folk traditions of yore are practiced till date.
The vast repertoire of pahari (literally ‘of the mountains’) folklore often gets translated into these songs.
These ballads dwell on village romances, chivalry and the changing seasons. There’s no dearth of topics which range from the mundane to stories about fairytale kings and queens or just beautiful girls.
The songs are mostly sung in chorus during fairs and festivals and are accompanied with dancing. Each line is repeated several times before passing on to the next.