Ghumura - A Popular Folk Dance Form of Kalahandi

Numbers of national recognition have been given to different dance forms such as Odishi, Chhau, Ranapa etc and in various other spheres from Orissa, but not any single recognition for Ghumura so far?
Is it because scholars of Ghumura lack political lobby or because it belongs to KALAHANDI . Ghumura is more popular than Ranapa.

Ghumura is much ahead of many other dance forms in Orissa in terms of popularity of folk dance. It is more scholarly researched, cultivated and has a history of at least thousand years.

Not to blame achievement of any other folk dance, however, despite not being suitable in terms of connectivity and distance for rest of South Orissa, the favoritism, including for RDC office, educational institutions, High Court branch etc, by various chief ministers towards their home district Ganjam in the name of South Orissa may be well established by making rest of South Orissa including undivided Kalahandi, Koraput and Kandhama—Boudh backward, neglected and marginalized in various areas that include culture too.

Ghumura is one of the most sought and leading folk dance form in Orissa. It is classified as folk dance as the dress code of Ghumura resembles more like a tribal dance, but recent researchers argue different mudra and dance form present in Ghumura bear more resemblance with other classical dance form of India and the dance is not limited to tribal only.

The dance is associated with social entertainment, relaxation, love, devotion and friendly brotherhood among all class, creed and religion in the present days and can be classified as classical dance. Traditionally this dance is also associated with Nuakhai and Dasahara celebration in large parts of South and Western Orissa.

Ghumura dance is still popularly hidden in the village level in Western Orissa, Central Orissa,South Orissa and some parts of bordering Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Kalahandi is mainly known as land of Ghumura and has taken a leading rule in popularizing and retaining its unique identity of Ghumura dance.

Ghumura dance has got the opportunity to represent the nation in various international events Delhi, Moscow, Kolkata,Andaman Nicobar and various other cities in India and Abroad.

Mainly in Kalahandi district , Mahavir club of Bhawanipatna town is more famous for its ghumura dance. This club is bring the popularity of ghumura dance in India and also in abroad .

Despite that it’s most neglected and marginalized by Government of Orissa, which is not giving equal recognition to Ghumura and itsscholars and playing politics over the matter.

Economy Of Kalahandi

The economy of Kalahandi district represents the very foundation of the industries. The economically important minerals in the district including Bauxite, Graphites, Manganese, Iron and Quartz largely facilitate the growth of industrial sectors in its core, which has supported the economy of Kalahandi. The minerals, economically exploited serve as the raw materials for the domestic industries and also are exported. Thus the huge storage of minerals supports the economy of Kalahandi dually. The mines in the post independence period are nationalized, to encourage the proper utilization of these natural resources. With the solemn aim to stop piracy and to earn more by proper export marketing, the government has initiated the nationalization program of those mines with the commencement of the plan period. However, the increasing utilization of minerals has engendered the growth of the underground and opencast mines in Kalahandi, which involve a huge local workforce in the mining sector. Thus the mining sectors shares a significant contribution to prop up the domestic financial set up of Kalahandi.

Beside the contribution of the mining sectors there are three functional large-scale industrial units that supports the industrial economy of Kalahandi namely (1) Western Sugar & Chemical Industries Ltd, Bhawanipatna at Mathura in Dharamgarh Sub-Division, (2) Konark Growers Cooperative Spinning Mills Ltd, Kesinga and (3) Orissa Regional Cooperative Oil Seed Growers Union Ltd. at Bhawanipatna.

IPICOL has signed agreement with M/s Western India Sugar and Chemical Industries Ltd. India targeting for 2500 TCR capacity sugar project in Dharamgarh Sub-division of Kalahandi with an estimated project cost of Rs.32.00 crores. The mill at the beginning, though provided employment to a huge workforce, it had not the sanction of a commercial production. Therefore, besides being supporting the domestic economy the Western India Sugar and Chemical Industries Ltd. did not participate in the export marketing. With the approval of the project by State Government in 1993, the Sugar and Chemical Industries Ltd functionally started its commercial production.

In the second phase of the plan period, the Government has decided to set up a Spinning Mill Unit of 25,000 spindles at Kesinga in the district to help in reducing shortfall yarn requirement of the State. The industry by providing employment supports the economy of Kalahandi and at the same time induces development in the Gross National Product (G.N.P) of cotton. In addition to the government schemes and programs the cotton produced under the Cotton Development Programme is some extent instrumental to prop up the cotton requirement of this proposed spinning Mills Unit.

The Oil project in Orissa mainly encompassing the oil seeds and vegetable oil project in Kalahandi has found very profitable market in the national arena. The Oil Project in Kalahandi, so far has been deciphered by the eminent economist is the major contributor of the economy of Kalahandi.

Primarily an industrial district the contribution of the agricultural sector is no less important in the financial set up of Kalahandi. The extensive region of Kalahandi, except the western hilly tract is covered with fertile soils, which encouraged the growth of the agricultural sector. The climatic condition also is responsible for the thriving prosperity of agriculture. Agriculture in Kalahandi stimulates the growth of agro-based allied industries, which support the rural economy in Kalahandi on a large scale. Moreover nearly half of the total Geographical area of Kalahandi District 4,962 Sq.Km is covered with forest, which also encourages the forest-based industries in Kalahandi. Apart from these, the forest products are also exported and thus the forests in the district serve as the important contributor in the economic development of Kalahandi.