The Chah Baganar Jumur Nach is the traditional dance of the ‘Tea Folk’ of the state of Assam in the North East part of India. The name - Chah Baganar Jumur Nach literally means “The Jumur Dance of the Tea Garden” and is performed by the small community of tribes that work in the tea fields of Assam.

The tea gardens of Assam that are famous today were developed by the British colonists during the colonization. In order to provide a substantial workforce for their new tea endeavor the British relocated some of the tribes from the ‘Chotta Nagpur’ Plateau into the hilly region of Assam. Today after over hundred years, these tribes have come to be identified as the ‘Tea-Tribes of Assam’ and have gained a unique cultural identity. The Chah Baganar Jumur Nach is their traditional dance that is performed during festivals and celebrations.

Chah Baganar Jumur Nach is performed by both the sexes of the community but the young female dancers often perform alone without their male counterparts. The dance is traditionally preformed besides the tea gardens, where the dancers usually work, although it is not mandatory.

Dance Form

The Chah Baganar Jumur Nach is a dance that is performed by both – the men and women of the Tea-tribes of Assam. For this dance, the groups of men and women stand facing each other. While the men and women are facing each other, the individuals in each group of the pair, form a tight chain by holding one’s partners by the waist, side by side. The dance then proceeds, which involves a very rhythmically timed sequence of jumps, skips, hops and leg-work.

Musical Instruments

The small and large drums are used during the performance along with the Jumur songs of the Chah Baganar Jumur Nach and sometimes small cymbals like the Indian Manjira are also employed.

The Assam Tea-tribe communities are a fairly new addition to the indigenous culture and have been heavily influenced by the existing communities and tribes of the region. That means the musical instruments used are commonly Assamese and not unique to the Tea-tribes.

Significance

The Chah Baganar Jumur Nach dances has a great significance for the Tea-folk. It was initially a medium of entertainment and socialization among the tea field workers, but now it has become a vital part of their cultural identity. Chah Baganar Jumur Nach is also performed as a part of tourist entertainment in the Assam tea fields.

Variations

There are almost no variations for the Chah Baganar Jumur Nach.