Shilpi at 16:07, 21 June 2025

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{{Short description|Bhojpuri Folk dance}}
{{Expert needed|1=Dance|reason=Given the references included, seems it needs expanded on greatly|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox dance
| title = Lavanda Nach
| genre = [[Folk dance]]
| origin = Purvanchal, India
}}
The '''Lavanda Nach''' ([[Bhojpuri language|Bhojpuri]]: 𑂪𑂫𑂝𑂹𑂙𑂰 𑂢𑂰𑂒𑂢𑂰𑂒; [[Literal translation|Lit.]]: Boy's Dance) is a [[folk dance]] of the Bhojpuri speaking Community of [[India]], [[Nepal]], [[Mauritius]] and the Caribbean Islands.<ref name="Morcom2014">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nshUAgAAQBAJ&pg=PT196|title=Courtesans, Bar Girls & Dancing Boys: The Illicit Worlds of Indian Dance|author=Anna Morcom|date=7 February 2014|publisher=Hachette India|isbn=978-93-5009-793-9|pages=196–}}</ref> It is performed by only males who dress as women called "lavanda".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thediplomat.com/2014/03/the-tragic-exploitation-of-indias-launda-dancers/|title=The Tragic Exploitation of India's Launda Dancers}}</ref> During the wedding ceremony lavanda dancers are a focal point, leading the groom's entourage to the bride's home.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=UNICEF|date=April 2010|title=SEXUAL ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION OF BOYS IN SOUTH ASIA A REVIEW OF RESEARCH FINDINGS, LEGISLATION, POLICY AND PROGRAMME RESPONSES|journal=UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-04-19 |title='हम सेक्स नहीं बेचते हैं ये तो बस एक कला है' |url=https://www.bbc.com/hindi/india-43820673 |access-date=2022-03-02 |website=BBC News हिंदी |language=hi}}</ref>

== Name ==
The [[Bhojpuri language|Bhojpuri]] word ''launda'' literally means a young male adolescent. However, in daily life, it is sometimes used as a derogatory term for a man, who is effeminate and from an inferior [[Caste system in India|Caste]].{{Sfn|Dost|2017|p=106}} Whereas, the term ''naach'' translates to dance.

In the [[Mughal Era]], [[Courtesan|Courtesans]] had significant importance. From there, the dance of female performers became popular among moneylenders and landlords. The performance used to be called as ''baiji'' and the dance was called ''baiji naach.'' On the other hand the naach of boys was popular among lower caste, and it is believed that the word launda with naach was used to differentiate it from baiji naach.{{Sfn|Dost|2017|p=106}}

==History==
The earliest mention of this folk dance can be found in 11th century which remained alive in the [[Bhojpuri region]] and in 19th century, this idea of transforming the centuries-old art form into a people's theatre was conceptualised by [[Bhikhari Thakur]],<ref>{{Cite news|title=Ramchandra Manjhi: The last scion of Bhikhari Thakur's Naach tradition|work=National Herald|url=https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/amp/story/entertainment%252Fthe-last-scion-of-bhikhari-thakurs-naach-tradition}}{{Dead link|date=June 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> who is also for credited for popularising it. In the first few decades of the twentieth century when the world was witnessing revolutionary changes recognising the rights of the downtrodden, Bhikhari Thakur displayed their constant struggle and survival instinct through agrarian theatre that came to be colloquially known as 'Lavanda Naach',<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.forwardpress.in/2017/07/celebrating-100-years-of-bhikaji-thakurs-launda-naach/|title=Celebrating 100 years of Bhikaji Thakur's 'Launda Naach'|date=12 July 2017}}</ref> comprising "songs, dance, comedy, satire, pun, banter, parody, and theatre where men impersonate women in performances that last all night."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/theatre/the-fire-is-still-burning/article24580281.ece|title = The fire is still burning|newspaper = The Hindu|date = 3 August 2018|last1 = Shrivastava|first1 = Girish}}</ref>

== Tradition, recognition and criticism==
[[Ramchandra Manjhi]], the last disciple of Thakur, inherited a great legacy and vast repertoire of Naach Theatre such as [[Bidesiya (play)|Bidesiya]], [[Gabarghichor]], [[Beti Bechwa]], etc.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/entertainment/the-last-scion-of-bhikhari-thakurs-naach-tradition|title = Ramchandra Manjhi: The last scion of Bhikhari Thakur's Naach tradition|date = 14 October 2018}}</ref> 93-years-old Manjhi was awarded the [[Sangeet Natak Academi Award]] in 2017, coincidentally the centenary year of Bhikhari Thakur's theatre.

However, the Lavanda Naach diversified over time, transcending the boundaries and parameters established by the scions of Thakur's theatre. With the rise of multiple sources of entertainment, the folk art form has also been criticised for losing its 'professionalism', allowing objectification and validating it, and becoming an area for abuse.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://edtimes.in/launda-naach-men-dressing-as-women-dancing-in-front-of-sexually-hungry-men-in-bihar/|title = Launda Naach: Men Dress as Women & Dance in Front of Sexually Hungry Men in Bihar|date = 16 May 2020}}</ref> Although the professional groups engaged in Lavanda Naach have been criticised for restricting the participation of women, one reason behind this is prevalence of human trafficking in the case of 'lewd dance troupes', called ''Aarkestra'', which are gaining traction in the region where once Lavanda Naach was well received.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsclick.in/Launda-Naach-Keeping-Folk-Art-Alive-Bihar#:~:text=Launda%20Naach%20is%20an%20archaic%20agrarian%20theatre%20form,personal%20circles%20of%20impressionists%20who%20perform%20this%20art.|title = Launda Naach: Keeping Folk Art Alive in Bihar|date = 31 December 2019}}</ref> This rapid change has been pushing the performances of the Lavanda Naach ensembles to be adjusted according to the mainstream audience demands.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://m.hindustantimes.com/india-news/act-like-a-woman-bihar-s-launda-naach-sees-a-surge-in-popularity-during-festive-occasions/story-oZELovYpTg43xZKr1enKsM.html|title = Act like a woman: How a little-known folk art form is sweeping away barriers of caste and gender, one Launda at a time|date = 4 November 2017}}{{Dead link|date=June 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

== Notable performers ==
* [[Bhikhari Thakur]]
* [[Khesari Lal Yadav]]
* [[Ramchandra Manjhi]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== Bibliography ==

* {{cite journal |last=Dost |first=Jainendera |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13528165.2017.1384187|title=Naach, Launda Naach or Bidesiya Politics of (re)naming|journal=Performance Research |date=2017|volume=22 |issue=5 |pages=106–112 |doi=10.1080/13528165.2017.1384187 |s2cid=158697968 |url-access=subscription }}

[[Category:Indian folk dances]]

Lavanda Naach - Revision history

Shilpi at 16:07, 21 June 2025