Bidesia is the most popular folk dance in the lively state of Bihar. Not only does it include musical beats to keep the crowd engaged, Bidesia involves the dancers into characters that often tell a story on important social issues such as poverty, treatment of women in households, and even the emotional turmoil that we experience in our daily lives.
The origin of the dance form is as late as the 20th century, when a barber named Bhikari Thakur indulged in writing plays. Despite its young age, Bidesia fast emerged as the most popular folk dance, immersing itself into the cultural identity of the state. This great impact is often attributed to the novel ideas shared at the crux of the dance-drama. The sarcastic dialogues and satirical tone of the play that put into words the social issues had a great impact on people.
The performing crew can be either men and women, or an all men cast where they wear long wigs and sarees to portray the role of a woman. Bidesia keeps its audiences engaged with its entertaining roleplay and lively musical performances with tabla, dholak and much more. But at the same time, it talks about sensitive and delicate issues of the current times, doing its part in raising awareness.
We can catch a glimpse of one such performance, which is very close to the hearts of the local people.
-Arka Gohil
References: auchitya.com, patnabeats.com
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