Kherai dance being performed as a part of Bathou festival at Kalakshetra. Picture by S.H. Patgiri

Feb. 7: In a bid to trace classical elements in Kherai dance of the Bodos, the Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra is conducting a study on the Bathou festival and the recital.

The study is being conducted by the documentation wing of the Kalakshetra, through seminars, workshops and spot documentation. ?We hope to elevate the Kherai dance to a classical form in the long run,? said Gautam Sarma, secretary, Kalakshetra.

Though Kalakshetra has been organising folk festivals of various tribes and communities of the region, this is the first time that the Bathou festival is being celebrated at the centre. A seminar was also organised on the occasion where experts deliberated on the relevance of the festival. Uttam Chandra Kherkotari, a Bodo writer, delved on the importance of the festival, which centres around the worship of Shiva.

The Bathou festival is a religious performance, which includes 18 varieties of dance forms. ?The festival also has a rich treasure trove of ?mantra? literature,? added Sarma.

The Kherai dance, performed as part of the Bathou festival, literally means paying oblation to God. The festival is organised for the wellbeing of the community.

Sarma said, ?Classical traditions are derived from folk elements. The Kherai dance also has many characteristics, which are essential ingredients of a classical dance, like a definite base and framework, a long history of traditional culture and a fixed musical and dance form. If we can develop and hone these elements, it may gain the status of a classical dance form.?

The audio-visual documentation wing of the Kalakshetra is trying to preserve the folk culture.

?We are trying to keep alive the rich and rare elements of our heritage. These rituals have been videotaped along with written literature and will be stored in the Shabda Sanchayan Kendra, our sound archive,? added Sarma.