Maruni

Last updated
Maruni
Maruni Dance Sikkim.jpg
A young woman from Sikkim performs Maruni dance.
Native nameमारुनी नाच
GenreNepalese folk
Inventor Magars
Origin Sikkim, India and Nepal

Maruni is a Nepalese folk dance of the Magar community. [1] It is popular in Nepalese diasporic communities of India (Darjeeling, Assam, Sikkim) Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar. It is one of the oldest and most famous dance of the Nepalese community residing in these regions, originally danced as part of Dashain and Tihar festival. [2] [3] Dressed colorfully with rich ornaments, the dancers dance to commemorate "the victory of good over evil", accompanied by the traditional Nepali Naumati Baja orchestra. [2]

Contents

Maruni Nach has been one of the significant identity of the Magar community since from the distant past until the present moment. In recent years, the dance has become in danger of extinction, due to lack of interest by young people in learning it. [4] That fear has begun to mobilize some communities. [4] Today, the community is pushing its young people to preserve the Maruni Nach. [4]

History

The dance originated with the Magar community, and later on, people from the various communities started adopting it. Maruni as danced in Western Nepal is different than in other places. Maruni and Sorathi dances were created in Western Nepal by the Magar community, and Magars who migrated to Eastern Nepal started to make small changes as they performed it there too. Nowadays other communities like Gurung, Kirat, and Khas also dance the Maruni dance on various occasions. [5]

In the Balihang festival, Maruni, Sorathi, and Hurra (dances performed by the eastern Magars also known as Deusi Nach) are performed. It is believed to be originated from Magar Army during the 14th century on the behalf of sick King Balihang Rana Magar of Palpa, Pokhara Butwal. Balihang Rana Magar was a king during the 14th century (of Palpa, Pokhara, Baldeng, Butwal & Gorkhapur) during which the kingdom was extended from Palpa to Butwal and Gorakhpur. Deusi Re means "Priest-King" and Bahilo means "Let us help" which are related to the Balihang Rana Magar.

With time, Maruni was performed even during many personal events, especially marriages. Maruni is performed by both men and women who dress in colorful clothes, shining ornaments, and nose rings. Maruni performed by the Eastern Magars goes through several parts, like "Jhyaure, Saran Maruni, Sorathi Garra, Khyali, Maruni performed for the welfare of the danced house and at the last Maruni performed for accomplishing the dance. The dancers are usually accompanied by a clown who is called 'Dhatu Waray' which means liar but acts as comedian/joker. In the many forms of Maruni, nine unique instruments are used with the dance and this is called the Naumati Baja .

See also

Related Research Articles

Music of Nepal refers to the various musical genres played and listened to in Nepal. With more than fifty ethnic groups in Nepal, the country's music is highly diverse. Genres like Tamang Selo, Chyabrung, Dohori, Adhunik Geet, Bhajan, Filmi music, Ghazal, Classical music, songs and Ratna music are widely played and popular, but many other less common genres are yet to be cataloged. Western musical genres like Rock, Metal, Hip-Hop, Rap, R&B also regularly feature on the Nepalese music charts. Most of the country's musical bands are based in the Kathmandu valley. Musical genres from Tibet and India have greatly influenced Nepalese music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magars</span> Ethnic group in Nepal and India

The Magars, also spelled Mangar and Mongar, are a Tibeto-Burman ethnic group native to Nepal and Northeast India, representing 6.9% of Nepal's total population according to the 2021 Nepal census. They are one of the main Gurkha tribes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rai people</span> Kiranti ethnic group Nepal, India and Bhutan

The Rai also known as Khambu and Jimee are ethnolinguistic group belonging to the Kirat family and primarily Tibeto-Burman linguistic ethnicity. They mainly reside in the eastern parts of Nepal, the Indian states of Sikkim, West Bengal and in southwestern Bhutan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Syangja District</span> District in Gandaki Pradesh, Nepal

Syangja District is a part of Gandaki Province, and is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. Its headquarter is Putalibazar with a diverse population including Brahmin, Chhetri, Magar, Dalit and Gurung communities. Syangja is home to attractions like the ancient temples of Garaunsur and Akala, scenic viewpoints such as Panchase, and the historical town of Waling, making it a growing eco-tourism destination. The economy is primarily based on agriculture, with rice, maize, millet, and fruits like oranges being widely cultivated. Syangja is the leading Orange producer in nepal with 22,000 tons in 2023. The district has several educational institutions, and many residents pursue higher education in cities like Pokhara and Kathmandu. Well-connected by highways to major cities like Pokhara and Butwal, Syangja offers a blend of natural beauty, cultural diversity, and historical importance. The district covers an area of 1,164 km2 (449 sq mi) and has a population of 254,965.

Magar Dhut is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken mainly in Nepal, southern Bhutan, and in Darjeeling, Assam and Sikkim, India, by the Magar people. It is divided into two groups and further dialect divisions give distinct tribal identity. In Nepal 810,000 people speak the language.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Butwal</span> Sub-Metropolitan City, Rupandehi Nepal

Butwal, officially Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City ,previously known as Khasyauli, is a sub-metropolitan city and economic hub in Lumbini Province in West Nepal. Butwal has a city population of 195,054 as per the 2021 AD Nepal census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deusi/Bhailo</span> Nepalese folk songs sung during Tihar

Bhailo and Deusi, collectively known as Deusi/Bhailo, are Nepalese traditional folk songs sung during the Tihar festival in Nepal as well as in Darjeeling hills, Sikkim, Assam, and some other parts of India among the Gorkhali diaspora. Children as well as adults perform Deusi/Bhailo by singing songs and dancing as they go to various homes in their community, collecting money, sweets and food and giving blessings for prosperity.

Kushma is a small village and the headquarter of Parbat District in Nepal. Kushma municipality was formed by merging thirteen village development committees Pang, Khurkot, Durlung, Shivalaya, Chuwa, Katuwa Chaupari, Pipaltari and Pakuwa on 18 May 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tansen, Nepal</span> Place in Lumbini, Nepal

Tansen is a Municipality and the administrative center of Palpa District in the "hills" of central Nepal. It is located on the highway between Butwal and Pokhara, on the crest of the Mahabharat Range or Lesser Himalaya overlooking the valley of the Kaligandaki River to the north. The highway bypasses the town center on the west, protecting pedestrian amenities in the central maze of steep, narrow, winding alleys lined with Newari shophouses and temples.

Magarat is It was settled and inhabited by Magars, one of the largest indigenous ethnic groups of Nepal. It is a geographical cluster in Nepal that existed in the modern territory of Nepal before the Unification of Nepal. It extended from the Budhi Gandaki River the West.

Sangini is a particular type of song and dance perform by the Nepali womenfolk during the occasion of a religious festival Tihar and Teej. It originated in the hilly regions of Nepal and is performed by Nepali women from Nepal and parts of India and Bhutan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bhume Naach</span>

Bhume Naach is one of the festivals celebrated by the Kham Magar people from Lumbini and Karnali provinces of Nepal. The term Bhume means 'Earth' and Naach means 'dance' in the Nepali language. The Kham people practice a religion that worships the land, water sprouts (shim), forests and weather, asking for better crop yields and cattle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siddha Baba Temple</span> Shiva temple in Nepal

Siddha Baba Temple is a Hindu temple of Shiva located near the city of Butwal, Dobhan-5, Palpa district of Nepal. The temple is visited by the people all over Nepal and mostly by the Hindus of Palpa and Rupandehi and neighboring districts. It is believed that the wishes of the devotees who visit the temple comes true. There is a tradition to release a pigeon when a person's wish is fulfilled. This tradition has contributed to large number of pigeon population around the temple.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siddhartha Highway</span> Road in Nepal

Siddhartha Highway, or NH47 is a major highway in Nepal that connects the Terai region in southern Nepal with the mountain region in northern Nepal. The highway starts at the Nepal–India border near Siddharthanagar and terminates at Pokhara. This highway intersects with the east–west Mahendra Highway at Butwal.

Mahat (Nepali: महत) is an Ekthariya chhetri surname among Nepalese, of Khasa heritage. The name may have originated when one of the Jumli Malla kings in medieval times made his younger brother, Dharma Malla, chief of staff in the army. This granted Dharma Malla the title of Mahat (Kshatriya) (meaning The Great One), and as a result, his descendants started using 'Mahat' as their surnames.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Narayan Rayamajhi</span>

Narayan Rayamajhi is a Nepali composer, lyricist, feature-film script writer, film director, and producer. He has steadily excelled as a singer and he has made a significant contribution to promote Nepali music industry. He has written more than fourteen dozen folk songs, more than six dozen modern songs, two dozens soap-opera songs, three musical plays, two documentaries and has he directed two movies Gorkha Paltan and Pardeshi

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastern Rukum District</span> District in Province No. 5, Nepal

Eastern Rukum is a mountain district of Lumbini Province of Nepal situated along the Dhaulagiri mountain range. It is also the only mountain district of the province with its tallest mountain Putha Hiunchuli situated in the west end of Dhaulagiri II mountain chain, at an elevation of 7,246 meters. The drainage source of ancient Airavati river, one of the five sacred rivers of Buddhism, lies in the lesser Himalayas of the district. With a Dhaulagiri mountain range, lakes, Magar culture and its political history, Eastern Rukum has been among the top travel destinations of Nepal as designated by the Government of Nepal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dance in Nepal</span> Aspect of Nepalese culture

Dance is a performing art form consisting of purposefully selected sequences of human movement. Dance (Nepali: नृत्य/ नाच) in Nepal comprises numerous styles of dances, including folk, ethnic, classical to modern dances. Lakhey is the dance of a demon in the carnival of God. Durbar Square, a historic plaza in Kathmandu, Nepal, facing ancient palaces and adorned by Hindu temples, is always full of eager crowds on the last day of Indra Jatra, the festival celebrating Indra, the Hindu king of heaven. In this divine stage, Lakhe the demon dances among gods and deities relentlessly and carelessly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dhan Nach</span> Limbu folk dance

Dhan Nach / Yalang or is a traditional Limbu folk dance, which originated in the Limbuwan region of Nepal. It is performed by people from Limbu (Yakthung) communities, native to Eastern Nepal as well as Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Sikkim regions of India. The dance is accompanied by a folk song known as Palam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ghatu (dance)</span> Nepalese dance form of Gurung people

Ghatu dance is a Nepalese folk dance of the Gurung Community of western Nepal. The dance is performed mainly during Baisakhi Purnima festival. The dance is started on the previous new moon day of the same month. The dancers are selected on the day of Shree Panchami and then trained for three/four months. Alongside Gurung community, the dance is also performed by people of Magar, Dura, Balami and Kumal communities. Ghatu word itself is derive from Gurung word GhaघाTuटु combing both word become Ghatu घाटु. As explained by Ghatu Gurus this dance is performend remembering tragic story of Gurung King and Queen.

References

  1. "मगर समुदायको मारुनी नाच जोगाउँदै युवा". saptahik.com.np. Retrieved 2022-07-17.
  2. 1 2 Lalwani, Ramesh. "Maruni Dance Sikkim-005".>
  3. "Maruni and Sorathi dances in crisis". GorakhaPatra. Retrieved 2022-07-17.
  4. 1 2 3 "मारुनी नाच जोगाउँदै स्थानिय (Locals saving Maruni)". कान्तिपुर (https://ekantipur.com). 15 September 2018.
  5. भण्डारी, पुष्कर. "मारुनी नाच संरक्षणमा स्थानीय". nagariknews.nagariknetwork.com (in Nepali). Retrieved 2022-07-17.