Rajbanshi folk dance: special emphasis on ‘hastasanchalana’

Abstract

The Rajbanshis are greatest group of people in North East India, North Bengal (Previous Cooch Behar dynasty) Some part of Bangladesh, Nepal & Bihar. They have their own rich rituals and customs including song, traditional theatre and folk dances. Rajbanshis are practicing their dance movement in between life cycle of them. Several types of dances are practiced by them over the year. We can find the hand movements (Hastasanchalana) and steppings of these dances but it is not known whether they follow specific rules or not. We need to recognize different ‘Hastasanchalana’ using in the dance, try to collect and make the number or name of each ‘Hastasanchalana’. This work will beneficial for coming generation and for new learner. We need to write and draw in specific way each and every hand movement in systematically. This initiative will guide properly to learn the folk dance of Rajbanshis.