What is Jhumur Dance?

About Jhumur:

• It is a traditional dance of the tea tribe communities of Assam.
• The dance is usually performed during the Autumn season in Assam.
• This dance is also found in a few parts of West Bengal.
• This dance is performed by young girls mostly in an open area like a field or under a tree.
• The girls performed this dance, accompanied by male membersto maintain the rhythm and vocals and play musical instruments.
• The dance is performed to the rhythmic accompaniment of the Madal, a popular two-headed hand drum. 
• Further accompanying the drums are flute, and pair of Taals that make the music more harmonious.
• The girls mostly perform the dancing part, holding each other's waist and moving hands and legs forward and backward synchronously.
• This dance incorporates songs and dialogues, which depict the joys and sorrows, yearning and aspirations of the everyday lives of the common people.
• Sometimes this dance is performed as a ritual worship, sometimes for courting and lovemaking, and sometimes for prayer for rainfall by the tea tribe communities of Assam.
• It is believed that Jhumur was originally a means of recreation between phases of tedious agricultural work.

Q1: What is Taal?

It is the term used in Indian classical music to refer to any rhythmic beat or strike that measures musical time. It is typically established by hand clapping (tali) , waving (khali).

Source: Assam: 8,000 Tea Tribe artists to perform 'Jhumur' in Guwahati this November