Mita Nath Bora
(mitanathbora7@gmail.com)
Assam is all set to make a historical record of the world’s largest Jhumur folk dance (nach), the grandest ever, Jhumur Binandini. 8,000-plus dancers from the tea garden community will display their traditional folk dance form live at the Sarusajai Stadium. The Honourable Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, will attend the event, which aims to set a Guinness World Record.
The beautiful, vibrant, and graceful Jhumur nach occupies a special place among the Assam tea tribes and greatly contributes to the greater Assamese culture. There are over 800 tea estates in Assam, and Jhumur nach is performed on special occasions and festivals in each one.
Assam’s tea tribes originally migrated by the British from the Chhota Nagpur Plateau, covering regions of present-day Jharkhand, Odisha, and West Bengal, to work in Assam’s tea plantations. As they came, they carried their traditions, including Jhumur nach, which evolved within the tea gardens as a means of recreation and social bonding, and today its rhythmic movements, melodious folk songs, and deep cultural roots remain an invaluable part of Assam’s heritage. After settling here in Assam, over the decades the tea workers are no longer only confined to tea gardens but are also engaged in rice cultivation and other agricultural activities. It is said that now half of the tea communities have their lands for cultivation and are additionally involved in tea gardens for daily income. The Government of Assam, over the past few years, has been taking steps to preserve and promote every aspect of the community’s culture and practices, including their traditional dance form, Jhumur nach, to ensure its continuity for future generations by recognising its importance and supporting its practitioners. With Jhumur Binandini, Assam takes one more step to keep the legacy of its tea tribe and its tradition alive and thriving.
The famous Assamese national award-winning movie Chameli Memsahab showcased the tea tribe community lifestyle and songs like “Axom dekhor baagisaare sowali,” composed by Bharat Ratna Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, beautifully sung by Usha Mangeshkar, still lingers in the ears of listeners. “Chol Mini Assam jabo, deshe boro dukh re, Assam deshe re mini, chaa bagan horiya, hor mara jaimon taimon, pata tola taanbo, hai joduram, phaki diye cholai di assam (translation: Come Mini, we’ll go to Assam, misery abounds in our desh; In Assam, my dear mini, the tea gardens are green and beautiful; there lies our future, the heavy digging is done somehow, plucking leaves is very difficult)” is another famous song depicting the story of their migration. Other Assamese feature films like ‘Kesa Xoun,’ ‘Trikal Badhu,’ ‘Arjun,’ etc., and plots of the great Assamese novels like ‘Seuji Patar Kahani,’ ‘Dawar Aru nai,’ and ‘Ejak Manuh Ekhon Arayna’ are all based on the lifestyle and culture of the tea tribes.
The striking thing about Jhumur nach is its steps, well-paced movements, energetic footwork, and typically performed in a circle. In its simplest form, it has a pure and divine representation. The steps are synchronised with the madal, a popular two-headed hand drum. Accompanying the drum is a flute and a pair of taals that make the music more harmonious. During the dance, the dancers clasp each other’s waists or are seen holding hands and moving in sync with the beat of the drum while following the precision of their footwork. The dance movements involve simple yet graceful steps, often depicting daily activities, love, and devotion.
Jhumur nach can be easily recognised by the costumes worn by the dancers, as they are quite different from the regular traditional costumes of the different tribal and ethnic groups of Assam. In this dance form, the female performers wear white sarees with broad red borders that end right above their ankles and are often tied in a unique style to allow free movement. Women often accessorise themselves with naturally found beads and flowers, mostly white or red. The male performers, who usually play musical instruments, wear traditional short lungis, shirts, and a turban of simple gamocha. The simplicity of the Jhumur traditional dress allows the focus to be on the movements and music of the dance.
The folk songs accompanying the Jhumur nach are full of melody and electrifying joy and energy and narrate tales of love, nature, and daily struggles, reflecting the life experiences of the community. These songs are often sung in the Sadri language, the lingua franca of the tea tribes, though variations in regional dialects can be observed. These songs today have grown and expanded, but the essence of love, life, and all that comes with it continues.
Today, Jhumur nach is more than just a form of entertainment; it is a reflection of the social, cultural, and historical identity. It serves as a medium for storytelling, community bonding, and preserving traditions, is an identity marker for the tea garden community, and highlights their unique customs and traditions.