Folk Dances of Northeast India: Communities, Occasions and Instruments
Folk dances of Northeast India are best understood through the communities that practise them, the occasions on which they are performed and the sounds that guide their movements. Bihu, Bagurumba, Cheraw and Hojagiri are useful starting points, but a state name alone does not explain a dance tradition.
This guide covers selected traditions from all eight northeastern states. It includes folk, social and ritual dances, then separately explains the classical forms Sattriya and Manipuri. State labels locate the examples; they do not imply exclusive ownership or suggest that one dance represents every community in a state.
For the wider regional setting, explore our guide to the geography and cultural diversity of Northeast India .
Quick answer: which dances belong to which traditions?
- Bihu: associated with Assam and especially Bohag or Rongali Bihu.
- Bagurumba: a Bodo dance associated with Bwisagu and community celebrations.
- Cheraw: the well-known bamboo dance of Mizo communities.
- Hojagiri: a Bru or Reang dance associated with Tripura.
- Wangala dances: associated with Garo harvest celebrations.
- Sattriya and Manipuri: classical dance forms, explained separately below.
Contents
Folk Dances of Northeast India: Community, Occasion and Instruments
The following table provides a selected reference across the eight states. The accompaniment column describes documented examples, rather than a compulsory ensemble for every performance. Singing, handclapping and struck bamboo can be as important as drums or wind instruments.
Local practice, ritual sequence and stage adaptation may change the accompaniment. “Not specified” identifies a source gap; it does not mean that a dance has no music. Numbers in brackets refer to the sources listed at the end.
On smaller screens, swipe horizontally to read all five columns.
| State | Dance or tradition | Community | Occasion or context | Instruments or sound |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assam | Bihu dance [1] | Assamese communities; participation crosses community boundaries. | Especially Bohag or Rongali Bihu, the spring and New Year celebration. | Dhol drum, pepa horn and gogona bamboo jaw harp. The ensemble varies. |
| Assam | Bagurumba [2] | Bodo, also written Boro. | Bwisagu and other community celebrations. | Kham drum and sifung flute are characteristic accompaniments. |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Ponung [3] | Adi; the cited account describes Minyong Adi practice. | Solung and, in some local traditions, other communal occasions. | The Miri leader’s sung narration and the dancers’ responses. The leader may sound a ceremonial sword as a rattle. |
| Manipur | Lai Haraoba ritual dances [4, 5] | Meitei; includes the ritual work of maibis, or priestesses. | Lai Haraoba observances honouring the local deities. | Pena, a single-string bowed instrument, is a key ritual accompaniment. Music differs by sequence. |
| Meghalaya | Shad Suk Mynsiem [6, 7] | Khasi. | Spring thanksgiving; the prominent Shillong celebration is held in April. | Tangmuri reed pipe with a traditional drum ensemble. |
| Meghalaya | Wangala dances [8] | Garo, also known as A·chik. | Post-harvest thanksgiving to Misi Saljong. | Dama drums provide a defining rhythmic accompaniment. |
| Meghalaya | Laho or Lahoo [7] | Pnar, also commonly called Jaintia. | Social and festive gatherings, including Behdienkhlam celebrations. | Traditionally vocal: a leader’s rhythmic, often humorous verses. Instruments are not essential. |
| Mizoram | Cheraw [9, 10] | Mizo communities. | Now widely presented at cultural celebrations, including Chapchar Kut. Older ritual contexts also exist. | Bamboo poles, struck and clapped together, supply the distinctive beat and timing cues. |
| Mizoram | Khuallam [9, 11] | Mizo communities. | Welcoming guests; historically associated with community feasts and ceremonies. | Darbu gongs. Documented ensembles may also include a darkhuang gong and khuangpui drum. |
| Mizoram | Chheihlam or Chheih-Lam [9] | Mizo communities. | Social gatherings, traditionally evening recreation after work. | Chheih Hla singing with a drum, bamboo-tube percussion or handclapping. Accompaniment varies. |
| Nagaland | Künyeün [12] | Rengma; a Tseminyu troupe is documented. | A traditional warrior-selection context, associated with the festival named “Igada” in the cited record. Also staged at Hornbill. | Not specified in the cited performance record. A particular drum or flute cannot be reliably assigned from that record. |
| Sikkim | Tamang Selo [13, 14] | Tamang. | Festive and social occasions; documented at Dasain and Sonam Lhochhar celebrations. | Damphu, the characteristic Tamang hand-held drum. |
| Tripura | Hojagiri [15] | Bru, also known as Reang. | Hojagiri festival and worship of Mailuma, associated with Lakshmi Puja. | Kham drum and sumui or kshumu wind instrument, with singing. Balancing vessels and lamps are props. |
To place these performances within their seasonal celebrations, read our guide to the traditional festivals of Northeast India . A festival may contain several dances, songs, rituals and games, each with a different purpose.
Classical Dances of Northeast India: Sattriya and Manipuri
Sattriya and Manipuri are the two classical dance forms associated with Northeast India in the commonly recognised eight-form classification. They are presented separately here to avoid mixing a classical style with a state’s entire folk repertoire. [17]
| State | Classical dance | Cultural tradition | Occasion or context | Instruments and accompaniment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assam | Sattriya [16] | Assam’s Vaishnava sattra tradition; now also taught and performed beyond monasteries. | Devotional and dramatic traditions, religious observances and concert presentations. | Khol or mridanga and tala cymbals. Flute or violin may be added in contemporary ensembles. |
| Manipur | Manipuri classical dance [5] | Rooted especially in Meitei Vaishnava traditions. Ras Lila is a major repertoire. | Devotional Ras presentations and classical performances. | Pung drum, cymbals, flute and vocal music. The ensemble depends on the repertoire. |
Where does Pung Cholom fit?
In Pung Cholom, performers play the pung while dancing. CCRT places this drum-dance tradition within Manipuri sankirtana and the vigorous tandava tradition. It should not be treated simply as another name for Ras Lila, or as a generic drum dance performed by every community in Manipur. [5]
How to Interpret the Dance Table Accurately
1. Folk, ritual and classical describe different aspects of dance
A social dance may bring people together for recreation, while a ritual dance has a defined role within worship or a ceremonial sequence. These functions can overlap. Classical refers to a recognised dance tradition with an established repertoire and training practice; it is not a judgement that other traditions are less developed.
2. A festival is not always one dance
Lai Haraoba is a wider ritual festival complex containing several dances. Wangala also names a festival with music, dance and ritual sequences. A staged excerpt should not be mistaken for the complete observance.
3. Community names are more precise than state labels
Bagurumba is associated with Bodo tradition, Hojagiri with Bru or Reang tradition, and Tamang Selo with Tamang tradition. Khasi and Garo dance traditions should not be merged into one generic “Meghalaya dance”.
Communities and their cultural practices can also extend across state and national borders. The state column is therefore a geographical reference, not a claim that the tradition exists only within that boundary.
4. Instruments, rhythm-makers and props are different
In Cheraw, bamboo poles shape both the dancers’ movement and the audible rhythm. In Hojagiri, vessels and lamps are balancing props; the accompaniment is provided separately. A sword, shield or costume item should not automatically be added to an instrument list.
5. Nagaland needs named traditions and specific evidence
The Künyeün entry is specific to a Rengma performance record. That record does not list instruments, so the table leaves the accompaniment unresolved. It would be misleading to supply a log drum simply because the dance comes from Nagaland. The festival spelling “Igada” is retained from the cited record rather than silently standardised.
For the setting in which many named Naga traditions are presented to visitors, explore the Hornbill Festival of Nagaland . For another community-focused celebration of music and performance, read about the Karbi Youth Festival of Karbi Anglong .
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the classical dances of Northeast India?
Sattriya, associated with Assam, and Manipuri, associated with Manipur, are the two forms from the region in the commonly recognised list of eight Indian classical dances. Bihu and Cheraw should not be relabelled as classical dances. [17]
Is every dance from Manipur a classical dance?
No. “Manipuri” can identify the classical style, but Manipur also has social, ritual and other performance traditions. Thabal Chongba is a social folk dance associated with Yaoshang; Lai Haraoba includes older ritual dance traditions. The state name and the classical category are not interchangeable. [5, 18]
Which Northeast Indian dance is known as the bamboo dance?
Cheraw of Mizoram is widely known by that description. Dancers move between bamboo poles that are rhythmically opened and closed. Similar bamboo-dance traditions exist elsewhere, so the nickname does not imply that the technique is unique to Mizoram. [9]
Which community performs Hojagiri?
Hojagiri belongs to the Bru community, also known as Reang. Its well-known balancing movements should be understood alongside its community and ceremonial context. [15]
Does every folk dance need musical instruments?
No. Laho is documented with rhythmic verses rather than an instrumental ensemble. Chheihlam may use handclapping or bamboo-tube percussion as well as a drum. A sound or accompaniment column is therefore more accurate than forcing every dance into a fixed instrument list. [7, 9]
Sources and References
This article draws on cultural institutions, tourism departments and government documentation.
- Assam Tourism: Bihu Festival.
- Prime Minister’s Office: Bagurumba Dwhou, Guwahati, 17 January 2026.
- Ministry of Tourism: Tourism Master Plan, Arunachal Pradesh, 2007; dance descriptions.
- Imphal Smart City Limited: Music and Dance; pena and Lai Haraoba.
- Centre for Cultural Resources and Training: Manipuri Dance cultural package; cards 18–23.
- Meghalaya Tourism: Shad Suk Mynsiem.
- Meghalaya Tourism: Traditional Dance; Shad Suk Mynsiem and Lahoo.
- Meghalaya Tourism: Cultural Festivals brochure; Wangala.
- Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts: Miscellaneous Arts and Crafts in Mizoram.
- Mizoram Directorate of Information and Public Relations: The Origin of the Chapchar Kut.
- Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts: Cultural Mapping of India, Khuallam entry, page 122.
- Nagaland Department of Information and Public Relations: Vibrant Tribal Performances Enliven Day 3 of Hornbill Festival 2025, 3 December 2025.
- Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre: Sikkim; Tamang Selo.
- Ministry of Tourism, Utsav: Sonam Lochaar.
- Press Information Bureau: North-East Film Festival, 21 August 2015; Hojagiri programme note.
- Centre for Cultural Resources and Training: Sattriya Dance cultural package; musical instruments, card 21.
- Centre for Cultural Resources and Training: Performing arts overview; recognised classical dance forms.
- Manipur Tourism: Festivals in Manipur; Yaoshang and Thabal Chongba.