Dance& Music of Ladakh

Ladakh's musical and cultural heritage is enthrallingly rich, colorful, and magnificent. There is no equal to our traditional music and dancing. A variety of cultures from diverse clans, such as Tibet, Balti, Mons, and Brokpa, inspired the land's performing arts in distinct ways in terms of exhibition and performance. Let's go on a tour of Ladakh's 'Dance and Music,' which is also known as the 'Crossroads of High Asia,' owing to its pivotal significance during the Great Silk Route era.
The majority of dances are slow, uncomplicated, and done at a leisurely pace. They are performed in perfect rhythm with rich folk music, which is accompanied by a drum and oboe duo. The 'Three Gems' - The Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha - are usually honored at the start of the traditional dances. Pomey-rtses are dances that are only performed by women, whilst Butsey-rtses are performed by males. Here compiled a list of some of the most frequent varieties which are performed in Ladakh:-

Kathok Chenmo

Kathok Chenmo is a nobility-only style of dance that honors Ladakh's grandeur and monarchy. The name Khathok Chenmo signifies a big rooftop. It's an allusion to the seven-story Leh Palace's massive porch, which can still be seen today. This dance was really only done in tribute to the monarchs of Ladakh and the Royal amily during the era of the monarchs. The Kathok Chenmo performers were hand-picked by the monarchs and are frequently used as personal performances.

Kompa Tsun Tsag

The style in the dancers tapped their feet gives this dance its title. Kompa Tsum-Tsag means 3 steps in English. The Kompa Tsum-Tsag performers employ three sequential steps in this dance, which are similar to the conventional techniques of folk dances in terms of tempo and gait. The change is so subtle that it requires a pair of experienced sights to tell it apart from other dancing forms. And don't even try to decipher Kompa Tsum-intricacies, Tsag's will only disgrace yourselves. This is one of the slowest dancing genres, but it's enjoyed equally through both genders for its sluggish but precise pace.

Spao Dance

In Ladakhi, the word spao means fighter. The mythical Ling Gyalam Kesar of Ladakh's famous mythology is related to the Spao-tses. The traditions of King Kesar and his heavenly horse can be traced in several regions and civilizations, and are frequently referred to as the Mahabarta saga of Central Asia.  Its variants may be identified from Mongolia to Tibet to Ladakh, having been passed down through centuries. Intriguingly, every place and part of the expanse it inspired had its own interpretation.

Stanmo Mentok

Dha-Hanu is approximately 158.4 kilometres north-west of Leh. People with distinguishing genetic and behavioural traits are thought to be descendants of Alexander the Great's withdrawing army. Mentok Stanmo is a dance done in Dha-Hanu to commemorate the blooming of flowers in the valley. The performers present the Buddha, Deity, and native deity with the very first produce of the season. The show, unsurprisingly, attracts a massive gathering of natives, and with Ladakh accessible to tourists, travelers flock to the flower festival as well.

Koshan Dance

The Koshan Dance of the Leh Horse Sport is a Ladakh custom. It can be found in a number of localities around the region, each with its unique flavor and distinction. Horse racing, on the other hand, is a traditional event that is an essential part of the equine spectacle. Koshan Dance is usually performed to add to the enthusiasm of such an event. Elegant gowns with multicoloured brocade silk and a variety of accessories are worn by the artisans. As a result, it's also referred to as the Brocade Dance.

Jabro

The Changthang district, to the east of Ladakh, is home to the Jabro nomads. Men and women form two threads and perform to the beat of the Dram-nyan, a native instrument. It is heavily influenced by Tibetan culture. Even now, the pace, manner, and equipment that complement Jabro are all Tibetan. Changpas  Mongolians, one of Ladakh's primary racial groups, are thought to have moved from Tibet's foothills. Jabro has been adopted by different groups over time. Its bold steps and high-octane routine, however, have been lightened up to complement the leisurely folk dancing forms popular in Ladakh.

Shondal Dance

The aristocracy of Ladakh is responsible for the Shondol Dance's origin. It was written and performed expressly to delight the king and his entourage. Shondol beguiled and amused the king's palace for ages, conducted by highly qualified and selected females known as Tokshomas. It is now recognised for the beautiful movements and flexible gaits of its beautiful young artists.

Takshon Dance

Takshon, also known as Shon, was a dance performed only by Ladakh's royal family. On the evening of the New Year, females from aristocratic families would conduct it in the monarch's honor. Ordinary folk was not permitted to perform these dances in the past. Shon, on the other hand, is now accessible for everybody to practice and enjoy thanks to the invention of modern periods.

Nyopa Dance

Nyopa Dance is known for its yellow dresses and pointed shimmering caps. In Buddhist society, it's mostly done during weddings. This dance is performed by a group of youths from the groom's clan as part of the conjugal ceremony's customs. They are in charge of transporting the bride from her residence to the groom's residence, where the wedding ceremony will actually occur. They do Nyopa Dance and sing a variety of folk tunes all along the way. They are only permitted to see the bride after successfully performing wedding music. The lively and lively evening is better experienced than described.

Cha-rtses

Cha-rtses is a relatively new addition to Ladakh's dancing genres. It is performed by a group of women dressed in Sulma (a customary dress) with a multicolored drape depicting pigeon feathers. Its fluid actions and movements resemble those of a bird. The Cha-rtses' versions are accompanied by a song about a group of pigeons, their flight above a hamlet, and a female nourishing bird.

Loshan Dance

Loshon is is a type of Harvest Dance that is particularly popular in Shey village, which was originally Ladakh's capital. The villagers come together to celebrate the harvesting season's completion. The carnival of festivities and appreciation to the Buddha and other deities is attended by both men and women. The festival lasts all day and allows you to immerse yourself in the depth of their unique customs and harvesting traditions.

Brokpa Dance

Before the Mongolian invasion from the Tibetan plateau, the Aryans or Brokpas were the people who lived in Ladakh, particularly around the Indus River area. Their society is different and unique, particularly in terms of their clothing, jewelry, and other mementos. They dress in a lot of blossoms and ornaments that cover the wearer from head to toe. The Brokpa dance is related to folk dance, but their white thick robe, enhanced with a bunch of flowers on their head, and a plethora of ancient silver and copper ornaments make a show unto themselves. Despite the fact that they practice Buddhism as a whole, remnants of shamanism may still be discovered in their faiths. Their vocabulary is also distinctive, having evolved from Dardic tongues and included elements of Sanskrit, Hindi, and even English. After a prolonged period of indifference, academics and historians are rekindling their curiosity in Brokpas, their customs, and history in order to provide a distinct chronicle of Ladakh's ancient era.

Alley Yato

Both males and ladies participate in this dancing genre, which is said to have emerged in the Zanskar region, southwest of Ladakh. Alley Yato is a term used to describe a company, companion, or interlocutor on whom you can rely and believe with your highs and lows. The performance is complemented with a tune that celebrates friendship and fraternity.

Chabskyan Dance

The Chang pitcher, which sits atop the dancer's head, is a prominent prop in the Chabskyan Dance. Men wearing a distinctive black helmet that holds the pitcher firmly conduct a Butsey-Tses, Chabskyan. A welcome with gentle movements kicks off the dance. It gains up speed as it goes, following Dhaman and Surna's cues, gradually resulting in a rapid stroll near the finale, when the performers greet the visitors and viewers.

Balti Dance

The Muslim groups of Kargil and Turtuk celebrate it. Balti Dance is distinct in it has it's own costume, music, and songs in the Balti language. It is only conducted on rare occasions, such as feasts or celebrations. Almost all of its versions are used to offer reverence to their monarchs and demigods at religious festivals.

Daman and Surna 

In Ladakh, a number of key stringed instruments are used for various activities and functions, yet the two basic equipment are the Daman (drums) and Surna (oboe). They've teamed together to promote the rhythms and melody, which are two essential elements of every musical production. They arrived in Ladakh in the seventeenth century when Gyal Khatun, a Balti Princess, wedded Ladakh's Monarch Jamyang Namgyal. Since then, they've taken center stage in the world of traditional songs.

Drumyan and Piwang 

In the Changthang clan, these instruments are quite famous. The community's Jabro interpretations are accompanied by strings-related musical instruments. Tibet is where they came from. The strumming pattern and composed melodies produced on such string instruments have an unmistakable Tibetan impact even nowadays.

Lingbu

In addition, the Lingbu is frequently heard in contemporary music. They are made of timber and available in a range of forms and sizes. For centuries, this simple instrument has left its stamp on the Ladakhi music community. However, as time passes, we notice a steady decline in the number of flute performers.

Harmonica

It's a relatively new addition to the instrument collection. Harmonica is traditional music performed using piano-like notes while the musician blasts air with another hand. It was widely used as a new craze create in the 1980s and 1990s. Many songs and classical compositions for Harmonica were created during the cultural rebirth that followed India's liberation when Ladakh abandoned the Dogra grip.