Continuing with our monthly theme of local foods of India, this time we travel to the Western states of India to discover some local cuisines of these regions.

 

Rajasthan, known for its unique spices and authentic taste due to its royal history, enjoys a special place in the heart of food lovers. One of their most authentic foods is Daal Bati Churma, the identity of Rajasthan. The crunchy batis dipped in ghee (clarified butter)  along with spicy dal (pulses) and sweet churma can make your taste buds drool in your mouth.

 

Gujarati cuisine is one of the oldest culinary treasures that India has and there is a huge variety of dishes. They use a lot of sugar, tomatoes, and lemons in their vegetables and one such food that is really flamboyant is Khandavi which is made with a mixture of chickpea flour (besan) and yogurt.

 

The food of Maharashtra is known as Marathi food which is usually spicy in taste. Pav Bhaji, Vada Pav are some famous Marathi food but Misel Pav is one the tastiest in Maharashtra. Misel is prepared with lentils, sprout dal, chickpeas (chana) etc. and is served with bread (pav).

 

Goa has a lot of Portuguese influence even in its food. Goan food includes rice, seafood, use of Kokum and a lot of vegetables. Goa is famous for its Kokum Juice which is basically a refreshing cool drink made from the extract of kokum fruit (garcinia indica.).

 

Madhya Pradesh is a state of royalty located right at the center of India. And just as the state is in the center, the cuisines are widespread all over India. One such food which has gained a lot of popularity now is Poha. While most people think it started in Maharashtra, it originated actually in MP and comprises of flattened rice, vegetable, peanuts, curry leaves, and is topped with lemon and coriander leaves. 

 

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Starting with our first stop in the North, Himachal Pradesh has exquisite Pahari cuisine which has flavors inspired by its neighboring states which usually is cooked on a slow flame. One such dish is Himachali Chana Madra which is chickpeas in yogurt based gravy. Most of the time this dish is prepared at the time of traditional festivals known as Dham and this dish is eaten along with rice and salads.   Punjab, also known as The Land of Five Rivers, is renowned for its Punjabi flavors which have a rich blend of butter and creams. Undoubtedly, the most famous cuisine from this state is the mouth-watering Sarson da Saag and Makki di roti. One of the traditional dishes of Punjab, it is savored in winters with a rich topping of homemade white butter or ghee (clarified butter).   Uttarakhand is divided into Gharwal and Kumaon regions and both of these places are known for their own delicacies. One of the popular desserts from Gharwal is Jhangora ki Kheer. It is made of millets and milk. In Kumaon, we have Kumaoni Raita which is made of yogurt, turmeric power, and cucumber. It is usually accompanied with Indian bread (paranthas).   Uttar Pradesh, place of both Ganga and Yamuna, is famous for its tasty breakfast which is served with Aloo Badi Ki Sabji. The spicy potato and dal kachori (quiche) is served with a special kind of yogurt called Sannata.   Haryana is known for its authentic cuisines which use a lot of ghee and spices. One such food of this state is Meetha Chawal (Sweet Rice) which is made using basmati rice sourced locally along with sugar and cardamom.   Enjoy all this information in podcast format now.   www.chimesradio.com   FB: https://www.facebook.com/chimesradio/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vrchimesradio/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChimesRadio 

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Starting with our first stop in the North, Himachal Pradesh has exquisite Pahari cuisine which has flavors inspired by its neighboring states which usually is cooked on a slow flame. One such dish is Himachali Chana Madra which is chickpeas in yogurt based gravy. Most of the time this dish is prepared at the time of traditional festivals known as Dham and this dish is eaten along with rice and salads.

 

Punjab, also known as The Land of Five Rivers, is renowned for its Punjabi flavors which have a rich blend of butter and creams. Undoubtedly, the most famous cuisine from this state is the mouth-watering Sarson da Saag and Makki di roti. One of the traditional dishes of Punjab, it is savored in winters with a rich topping of homemade white butter or ghee (clarified butter).

 

Uttarakhand is divided into Gharwal and Kumaon regions and both of these places are known for their own delicacies. One of the popular desserts from Gharwal is Jhangora ki Kheer. It is made of millets and milk. In Kumaon, we have Kumaoni Raita which is made of yogurt, turmeric power, and cucumber. It is usually accompanied with Indian bread (paranthas).

 

Uttar Pradesh, place of both Ganga and Yamuna, is famous for its tasty breakfast which is served with Aloo Badi Ki Sabji. The spicy potato and dal kachori (quiche) is served with a special kind of yogurt called Sannata.

 

Haryana is known for its authentic cuisines which use a lot of ghee and spices. One such food of this state is Meetha Chawal (Sweet Rice) which is made using basmati rice sourced locally along with sugar and cardamom.

 

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In this episode, we talk about the Union Territories of India and their specific folk dances. Having their own rich culture, these folk dances are a pleasure to watch.    Jammu Kashmir is very famous for its beauty. The folk dance of Kashmir has much variety but one we want to talk about is known as Dumhal. This dance is performed by the Watal tribe and generally only the Wattal tribe men are privileged to perform this dance wearing long, colorful robes and tall, conical caps, studded with beads and shells.    Ladakh has its folk dance known as Jabro dance which is in fact influenced from Tibet. It is performed by the nomadic people of Tibetan origin living in the high hills. Melodious songs are characteristic of Jabro, in which both males and females participate. Dancers face each other and form circles or rows. They move forwards and backwards hand in hand while singing beautiful songs.    The folk dance of Daman & Diu is Vira dance which is usually only performed on special occasions. It is done in couples without holding hands and has got a lot of Portuguese influence in it.    Dadra & Nagar Haveli is famous for its Tarpa dance. Performed by both men and women in the harvest season at night. Tapra is also a musical instrument which is played and is followed by body movement in this dance form.    Pondicherry is famous for folk dance Garradi. Not restricted to any festival, this dance can be performed on any occasion and is based on mythology – to celebrate the victory of Lord Rama over demon king Ravana. Males normally dress up as monkeys and make monkey postures while dancing. The performer wears ten ‘Anjalies’ – a special ornament - in each leg and while dancing, the sounds of drums and Anjalies combine together to create rhythms.    Andaman & Nicobar comprises of 572 islands and is renowned for its white-sand beaches and marine life. The folk dance of this UT is Nicobari dance which is one of the oldest and typical dance forms of Nicobari tribe that lives in the island. It is usually done during the festival on full moon night under palm trees to show respect to the departed.    The final destination of our Union Territories tours is Lakshwadeep and its famous folk dance we want to talk about is Lava dance. Performed solely by men on festivals, lava means dance, music and rhythm and dancers carry drums while dancing and beat the drums in a rhythm.    Enjoy all this information in podcast format now.   www.chimesradio.com  FB: https://www.facebook.com/chimesradio/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vrchimesradio/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChimesRadio 

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In this episode, we talk about the Union Territories of India and their specific folk dances. Having their own rich culture, these folk dances are a pleasure to watch. 

 

Jammu Kashmir is very famous for its beauty. The folk dance of Kashmir has much variety but one we want to talk about is known as Dumhal. This dance is performed by the Watal tribe and generally only the Wattal tribe men are privileged to perform this dance wearing long, colorful robes and tall, conical caps, studded with beads and shells. 

 

Ladakh has its folk dance known as Jabro dance which is in fact influenced from Tibet. It is performed by the nomadic people of Tibetan origin living in the high hills. Melodious songs are characteristic of Jabro, in which both males and females participate. Dancers face each other and form circles or rows. They move forwards and backwards hand in hand while singing beautiful songs. 

 

The folk dance of Daman & Diu is Vira dance which is usually only performed on special occasions. It is done in couples without holding hands and has got a lot of Portuguese influence in it. 

 

Dadra & Nagar Haveli is famous for its Tarpa dance. Performed by both men and women in the harvest season at night. Tapra is also a musical instrument which is played and is followed by body movement in this dance form. 

 

Pondicherry is famous for folk dance Garradi. Not restricted to any festival, this dance can be performed on any occasion and is based on mythology – to celebrate the victory of Lord Rama over demon king Ravana. Males normally dress up as monkeys and make monkey postures while dancing. The performer wears ten ‘Anjalies’ – a special ornament - in each leg and while dancing, the sounds of drums and Anjalies combine together to create rhythms. 

 

Andaman & Nicobar comprises of 572 islands and is renowned for its white-sand beaches and marine life. The folk dance of this UT is Nicobari dance which is one of the oldest and typical dance forms of Nicobari tribe that lives in the island. It is usually done during the festival on full moon night under palm trees to show respect to the departed. 

 

The final destination of our Union Territories tours is Lakshwadeep and its famous folk dance we want to talk about is Lava dance. Performed solely by men on festivals, lava means dance, music and rhythm and dancers carry drums while dancing and beat the drums in a rhythm. 

 

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In this episode, we travel to North-Eastern states of India to have a sneak peek into their folk dance cultures. Performed in colorful attires, these are extremely charming performances but need amazing energy on the part of performers.    Sikkim is famous for one of its oldest tribe Lepcha and their popular dance form is Zoomaloki. It is performed to celebrate harvesting season and to break the monotonous life of farming.    In Assam, the Bodo tribe performs their special dance known as Bagurumba which is performed by girls around mid- April. The dance form is their devotion towards the love for nature which has been a big part of the culture of Bodo tribe for generations.   Arunachal Pradesh has many tribes inhabiting its land, so the special dance form we want to talk about is Bardo Chham. In this form of folk dance, the men and women wear masks of the animals and pretend that they are fighting against the evil powers to bring peace and prosperity within the community. This form of the folk dance form is a kind of dance-drama with a message and thus this has got a deep significance within the people of this community.   Nagaland’s Zeliang tribe is known for its Zeliang dance which has martial arts and athletics and the person performing it must have a lot of strength. Usually, most of the Naga dances are done by men but in this particular dance form, women also take part. They chant, jump and shout while dancing.    Manipur has a lot of local folk dances, including Manipuri which is known the world over. But there is another dance style known as Pung Cholom or Drum dance which involves dancing and playing the drums simultaneously. It is a combination of sound and movement and includes a nice display of martial arts too.    Mizoram, the southernmost region of North East India,  is also popular for its local folk dance of Cheraw. It is usually performed by six to eight people with bamboo sticks and is the centre of attraction in many festivals.    Tripura, which is bordered by Bangladesh on three sides, has its own local folk dances one of which is Hojagiri. It is performed by women and young girls singing and balancing an urban pitcher on their hand along with many other props. Only the lower part of the body moves in this dance form.    Meghalaya literally means home of clouds. Usually, locals dance here to pray to their gods and goddesses and the dance form which we talk about is performed by the Khasi tribe and is known as Nongkrem. It is a thanksgiving dance performed by both men and women to appease their Goddess Ka Blei Synshar for a rich harvest and prosperity of the people.   Enjoy all this information in podcast format now.   www.chimesradio.com  FB: https://www.facebook.com/chimesradio/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vrchimesradio/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChimesRadio 

Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/chimesradio

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, we travel to North-Eastern states of India to have a sneak peek into their folk dance cultures. Performed in colorful attires, these are extremely charming performances but need amazing energy on the part of performers. 

 

Sikkim is famous for one of its oldest tribe Lepcha and their popular dance form is Zoomaloki. It is performed to celebrate harvesting season and to break the monotonous life of farming. 

 

In Assam, the Bodo tribe performs their special dance known as Bagurumba which is performed by girls around mid- April. The dance form is their devotion towards the love for nature which has been a big part of the culture of Bodo tribe for generations.

 

Arunachal Pradesh has many tribes inhabiting its land, so the special dance form we want to talk about is Bardo Chham. In this form of folk dance, the men and women wear masks of the animals and pretend that they are fighting against the evil powers to bring peace and prosperity within the community. This form of the folk dance form is a kind of dance-drama with a message and thus this has got a deep significance within the people of this community.

 

Nagaland’s Zeliang tribe is known for its Zeliang dance which has martial arts and athletics and the person performing it must have a lot of strength. Usually, most of the Naga dances are done by men but in this particular dance form, women also take part. They chant, jump and shout while dancing. 

 

Manipur has a lot of local folk dances, including Manipuri which is known the world over. But there is another dance style known as Pung Cholom or Drum dance which involves dancing and playing the drums simultaneously. It is a combination of sound and movement and includes a nice display of martial arts too. 

 

Mizoram, the southernmost region of North East India,  is also popular for its local folk dance of Cheraw. It is usually performed by six to eight people with bamboo sticks and is the centre of attraction in many festivals. 

 

Tripura, which is bordered by Bangladesh on three sides, has its own local folk dances one of which is Hojagiri. It is performed by women and young girls singing and balancing an urban pitcher on their hand along with many other props. Only the lower part of the body moves in this dance form. 

 

Meghalaya literally means home of clouds. Usually, locals dance here to pray to their gods and goddesses and the dance form which we talk about is performed by the Khasi tribe and is known as Nongkrem. It is a thanksgiving dance performed by both men and women to appease their Goddess Ka Blei Synshar for a rich harvest and prosperity of the people.

 

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Continuing our journey across India to explore the various folk dance forms in our country, in this episode we visit the Western states of India - Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa before coming to a halt in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.    Rajasthan is a state of palaces, deserts and cultures. But it is also world-famous for its unique folk dance which is called as Kalbelia dance. In this dance form, women wear lehengas and heavy ornaments when dancing.    One thing which has left a mark on navratra celebrations in India and abroad, is the Dandiya dance. Originated in Gujarat, it is quite famous and a must have for any street party organized during these auspicious days. Besides festival celebrations, Dandiya is also enjoyed by locals throughout the year. Practiced in groups, dancers in this style wear colorful clothes and carry bamboo sticks which they strike with one other while dancing to the rhythms of the music.   Maharashtra has its famous Koli dance named after their native Koli community. The steps in this dance style resemble as if dancers are trying to catch a fish. Both men and women are divided into two groups and they enact rowing a boat and catching fish. Fisherman cap is the most important prop of this dance style.    Goa, a land of beautiful beaches & carnivals, is also quite popular for its foot-tapping dance forms. While drawing huge inspiration from the western culture, it enjoys huge cultural heritage despite being the smallest state of India. Shigmo dance is considered the most traditional dance form of Goa. This dance is done in groups in a long procession performed by actors enacting scenes of the history of Goa. The dance has a huge Portuguese influence in it.    Madhya Pradesh, the central most state of India, is known for its dance form Bhagoriya. It is a cultural identity of Baiga tribe of MP. This dance is performed in the festival of Dusshera by bachelor men who look for a bride for themselves by demonstrating their agility and dance skills. Certainly not for someone born with two left feet!   Enjoy all this information in podcast format now.   www.chimesradio.com  FB: https://www.facebook.com/chimesradio/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vrchimesradio/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChimesRadio 

Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/chimesradio

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Continuing our journey across India to explore the various folk dance forms in our country, in this episode we visit the Western states of India - Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa before coming to a halt in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. 

 

Rajasthan is a state of palaces, deserts and cultures. But it is also world-famous for its unique folk dance which is called as Kalbelia dance. In this dance form, women wear lehengas and heavy ornaments when dancing. 

 

One thing which has left a mark on navratra celebrations in India and abroad, is the Dandiya dance. Originated in Gujarat, it is quite famous and a must have for any street party organized during these auspicious days. Besides festival celebrations, Dandiya is also enjoyed by locals throughout the year. Practiced in groups, dancers in this style wear colorful clothes and carry bamboo sticks which they strike with one other while dancing to the rhythms of the music.

 

Maharashtra has its famous Koli dance named after their native Koli community. The steps in this dance style resemble as if dancers are trying to catch a fish. Both men and women are divided into two groups and they enact rowing a boat and catching fish. Fisherman cap is the most important prop of this dance style. 

 

Goa, a land of beautiful beaches & carnivals, is also quite popular for its foot-tapping dance forms. While drawing huge inspiration from the western culture, it enjoys huge cultural heritage despite being the smallest state of India. Shigmo dance is considered the most traditional dance form of Goa. This dance is done in groups in a long procession performed by actors enacting scenes of the history of Goa. The dance has a huge Portuguese influence in it. 

 

Madhya Pradesh, the central most state of India, is known for its dance form Bhagoriya. It is a cultural identity of Baiga tribe of MP. This dance is performed in the festival of Dusshera by bachelor men who look for a bride for themselves by demonstrating their agility and dance skills. Certainly not for someone born with two left feet!

 

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In this episode, we talk about the regional dances performed in the states of Northern India. After Jammu & Kashmir became the Union Territories, Himachal Pradesh is now the extreme north state of India. The beautiful dance form of Himachal Pradesh that we talk about is Nati, which is also in the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest folk dance. The dance originated from Kullu district and is usually performed during cultural events. The group dance usually narrates local stories and the instruments used are dhol, nagada, shehnai etc.    Moving on to Uttarakhand, this state is divided into regions of Garhwal and Kumaon. In Garhwal, the folk dance is Langvir Nritya, which is very popular there. This dance is primarily performed by men and is done in an acrobatic form using a bamboo pole fixed in one place. The dancers climb up the pole and then balance themselves on the top by laying down on their stomachs. Under the pole, there are various musicians playing folk and traditional music with the help of Dhol and Damaru.    Undoubtedly, the most popular dance form Punjab is Bhangra but the folk dance that we want to talk about is Giddha which is performed by women wearing colorful clothes and tying a braid. The typical style of doing Giddha is jerking the shoulders and clapping in a specific style while the singing style is known as Boliyan.    The folk dance  that we have selected from Uttar Pradesh is Charkula which is performed by women carrying 108 lit diyas (oil lamps) on their heads. It is done to praise Lord Krishna and the balancing act is not very easy to master.   The folk dance of Haryana that we touch upon is Faag, means Fagun season. This dance form is done before the harvesting season to express the joy of the farmers. It is performed by both men and women on the beats of dhol, nagada and many others.    Enjoy all this information in podcast format now.   www.chimesradio.com  FB: https://www.facebook.com/chimesradio/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vrchimesradio/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChimesRadio 

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