In Arunachal Pradesh, dance has come a long way over the centuries. Dance in Arunachal Pradesh has evolved into an art form: the Khampti Dance in Arunachal Pradesh is an example of one such evolution in dance.
The Khampti dance at Arunachal Pradesh is a typical dance-drama that unfolds the myths and stories of moral values. The Khampti dance of Arunachal Pradesh marks the festivities of the religious festivals of the Buddhists such as Khamsang, Sankian, Potwah, etc.
In Arunachal Pradesh, Khampti dance is also known as 'kapung' ('ka' implies 'dance' and 'pung' means 'story'). It is remarkable that the preparation for the Khampti dance of Arunachal Pradesh summons one month prior to the festival.
The preparation for the dance, generally, takes place in the monasteries; in fact, the preparations can also be done in any one house of their choice. The wealthy people of the region are said to invite the dancers to perform in their courtyard.
Moreover, it is noteworthy that the women are exempted from participating in the dance. It is men who enact the female role and after their performances, they are given a remuneration which is divisible by seven. It is customary to pay the troupe members an amount which is divisible by seven, such as seven, fourteen, twenty-eight, forty-two, etc.
Last Updated on 03 January 2011
