Matki Dance

About:

Madhya Pradesh's famous Matki Dance belongs to the people living in the Malwa Plateau of Madhya Pradesh. This dance is usually performed during weddings. Matki dance is performed by a woman with a veil over her face and a 'matki' (earthen pot) balanced on her head. This dancer is sometimes joined by other women in the performance. 'Aada' and 'khada nach' are the varieties of this dance.

 

The tableland of Malwa has comparatively very few dances. On wedding occasions, the countryside women of this part perform the 'Matki' dance with an earthen pot balanced on the head, the Matki is mostly danced solo. Sometimes just for merriment a couple of women join the main dancer who usually dances with a veil on her face.

 

Matki is very famous during Janmashtami festival. Dancers are dressed in the utmost attractive attires depicting that era. Some of the temples also perform these dances and gather huge tourists coming from far flung countries.

 

This dance is in the traditions of Pancmahal tribals. In this dance form the females belonging to the tribes are seen carrying the matkis or the earthen pots balancing on their heads. They move from one corner to the other corner of the village performing the dance sequence.