{"id":5876,"date":"2025-02-04T11:54:07","date_gmt":"2025-02-04T06:24:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saralstudy.com\/blog\/?p=5876"},"modified":"2025-02-04T11:54:07","modified_gmt":"2025-02-04T06:24:07","slug":"bardo-chham-dance-history-significance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saralstudy.com\/blog\/bardo-chham-dance-history-significance\/","title":{"rendered":"Bardo Chham Dance: Cultural Heritage of Arunachal Pradesh"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bardo Chham dance is a famous folk dance of the state of Arunachal Pradesh, India. This dance is a traditional dance performed by the Sherdukpen community there. The Sherdukpen community believes that the effect of man&#8217;s deeds remains even after his life and death. This dance depicts the struggle between good and evil based on this belief.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.saralstudy.com\/blog\/bardo-chham-dance-history-significance\/#Meaning_of_Bardo_Chham\" >Meaning of Bardo Chham:<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.saralstudy.com\/blog\/bardo-chham-dance-history-significance\/#Word_by_word_meaning_of_Bardo_Chham_dance\" >Word by word meaning of Bardo Chham dance<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.saralstudy.com\/blog\/bardo-chham-dance-history-significance\/#History_of_Bardo_Chham\" >History of Bardo Chham<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.saralstudy.com\/blog\/bardo-chham-dance-history-significance\/#Theme_and_significance_of_the_dance\" >Theme and significance of the dance:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.saralstudy.com\/blog\/bardo-chham-dance-history-significance\/#How_is_this_dance_performed\" >How is this dance performed?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.saralstudy.com\/blog\/bardo-chham-dance-history-significance\/#When_is_this_dance_performed\" >When is this dance performed?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Meaning_of_Bardo_Chham\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Meaning of Bardo Chham:<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The meaning of Bardo Chham dance is \u2018the spiritual journey between death and rebirth\u2019. It is based on buddhist belief.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Word_by_word_meaning_of_Bardo_Chham_dance\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Word by word meaning of Bardo Chham dance<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Bardo: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In Tibetan Buddhism, &#8220;Bardo&#8221; means the state between death and rebirth.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Chham: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In Tibetan language, &#8220;Chham&#8221; means dance.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"History_of_Bardo_Chham\"><\/span>History of Bardo Chham<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>This dance symbolizes the teachings given by Guru Padmasambhava, also known as the Second Buddha. His teachings were discovered as a hidden treasure by the great Buddhist <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Karma_Lingpa\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">master Terton Karma Lingpa<\/a> and have been spiritually preserved since then.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Theme_and_significance_of_the_dance\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Theme and significance of the dance:<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This dance is based on the stories of good and evil.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Inspires people to live a virtuous life and stay away from sinful acts.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The fight against evil forces is displayed through dance.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_is_this_dance_performed\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How is this dance performed?<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The dancers wear colourful masks that symbolize different animals.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The dance is performed to the beat of a large frame drum, which is played with a wooden stick.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The expressions and dance postures of the dancers are designed to convey a spiritual message to the audience.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5877\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5877\" style=\"width: 686px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-5877\" src=\"https:\/\/www.saralstudy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/wearing-colourful-masks-Bardo-Chham-1024x673.jpg\" alt=\"Bardo Chham Dancer Wearing Colorful Masks\" width=\"696\" height=\"457\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.saralstudy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/wearing-colourful-masks-Bardo-Chham-1024x673.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.saralstudy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/wearing-colourful-masks-Bardo-Chham-300x197.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.saralstudy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/wearing-colourful-masks-Bardo-Chham-768x505.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.saralstudy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/wearing-colourful-masks-Bardo-Chham-639x420.jpg 639w, https:\/\/www.saralstudy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/wearing-colourful-masks-Bardo-Chham-150x99.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.saralstudy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/wearing-colourful-masks-Bardo-Chham-696x457.jpg 696w, https:\/\/www.saralstudy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/wearing-colourful-masks-Bardo-Chham.jpg 1064w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5877\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bardo Chham Dancer Wearing Colorful Masks<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"When_is_this_dance_performed\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When is this dance performed?<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This dance is performed on festivals and special occasions. It is usually performed at religious and cultural events.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Conclusion:<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Bardo Chham is not only practiced by the Sherdukpen tribe in West Kameng but also in all Himalayan regions where Buddhism is followed. &#8220;Bardo&#8221; means &#8220;intermediate state&#8221;, and there are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.samyeinstitute.org\/nlncnd\/the-six-bardos\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">six bardos in Buddhist philosophy<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>This <a href=\"https:\/\/www.saralstudy.com\/blog\/food-dance-and-language-of-states-of-india\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">dance of Arunachal Pradesh<\/a> depicts the events that happen in the intermediate state after death and before rebirth. This dance does not depict the monthly inauspicious events as may be the common perception.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The dance reflects the rich culture of Arunachal Pradesh. It also conveys the message of virtue, religion and enlightenment. This and similar traditional folk dances are an important means of preserving the cultural heritage of a particular community and imparting spiritual education to future generations.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Also Read:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.saralstudy.com\/blog\/arunachal-pradesh-the-land-of-rising-sun\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Arunachal Pradesh: The Land of Rising Sun<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bardo Chham dance is a famous folk dance of the state of Arunachal Pradesh, India. This dance is a traditional dance performed by the Sherdukpen community there. The Sherdukpen community believes that the effect of man&#8217;s deeds remains even after his life and death. This dance depicts the struggle between good and evil based on &#8230; <a title=\"Bardo Chham Dance: Cultural Heritage of Arunachal Pradesh\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.saralstudy.com\/blog\/bardo-chham-dance-history-significance\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Bardo Chham Dance: Cultural Heritage of Arunachal Pradesh\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":5878,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[52,713],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5876","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-know-india","category-festival"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saralstudy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5876","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saralstudy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saralstudy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saralstudy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saralstudy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5876"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.saralstudy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5876\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5879,"href":"https:\/\/www.saralstudy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5876\/revisions\/5879"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saralstudy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5878"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saralstudy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5876"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saralstudy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5876"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saralstudy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5876"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}