they eat the mixture lying on the ground fro mouth directly
Any fair or a village event in many parts of Karnataka Goravas can be easily identified by their black or red dresses and a bearskin headgear and dancing with damaru ( a small drum like percussion ) in their hand . They are devotees of Lord Mylaralinga . Kurubas or men from Shepherd family in Karnataka dedicate themselves to Lord Mylaralinga and start learning this folk form before their marriage. They dance in their unique style in village fairs, or spiritual functions and bless people. When Goravas bless children it is believed that fear is ridden from body and mind.
Recently when I was attending a fair near Nittur, Karnataka I saw Gorava dancers performing a unique rituals during the procession. A devotee laid a mixture of jackfruit and rice ( not boiled ) on a white cloth on the ground. All the members of Gorava team started dancing around it and as they danced they closed in. After a minute of dance they jumped on ground and ate all the mixture of Jackfruit and rice after grabbing directly from mouth . Then as they ate them they continued their dance .
These are Gorava dancers from Karnataka state , India
Gorava dancers perform their dances
A devotee keeps a mixture of jack fruit and rice on a white cloth on ground
A devotee keeps a mixture of jack fruit and rice on a white cloth on ground
Goravas dance continuously and close in
they eat the mixture lying on the ground fro mouth directly
A Gorava dancer after eating
Gorava dance is a very old traditional folk form of Karnataka which is in a dying stage like many other folk arts of Karnataka. Nowadays these can be seen only in some fairs and temples . Many Gorava dancers doing part time agriculture jobs in order to full fill their needs . One day we might just left with some pictures like these and Gorava dance can be read only in text books.
