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Chaitra Festival Dance
 The Chaitra festival dance is another famous dance of the Gonds of
Bastar district; it is performed after the harvest to thank goddess
Annapurna for the harvest already gathered and to seek her blessings for the next crop.
Men and women dance in a circle, in semi-circles or in rows; all dancers hold each other's
waist. A peacock feather on the head is a distinctive mark and the dancers wear
colourful costumes, adorning themselves with garlands of shells and pearls.
As the dancers go round in rhythmic movements, their feet beat to the music of the Shehnai, Nagada,
Timki, Tapri, Dholak and Maduri. Sometimes, the
Singha and Kohuk; wind instruments are as well played.
The Rina is the women's dance. It is called Tapadi among the Baigas. The
Gond women of Mandla district start the Rina just after the festival of
Diwali.
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