Dr. Radhe Shyam Barle received the Padma Shri for his contribution to which folk dance?

Explanation

Dr. Radhe Shyam Barle, a folk artist from the Durg district of Chhattisgarh, received the Padma Shri in 2021 for his contribution to the Panthi folk dance.

Radhe Shyam Barle has performed, taught and promoted the Panthi dance for several decades. He formed his own troupe, trained many young dancers and performed the dance at festivals across India and abroad, helping to make it known beyond Chhattisgarh. He also holds a doctorate and has written about the folk culture of Chhattisgarh.

Panthi is a folk dance of the Satnami community of Chhattisgarh. It is closely linked with the teachings of Guru Ghasidas (1756-1850), the founder of the Satnami sect, who preached the worship of "Satnam" (the true name of God), equality among all people, and the rejection of caste discrimination, idol worship and the consumption of meat and alcohol. The Panthi dance is performed especially on Guru Ghasidas Jayanti (18 December) and on Maghi Purnima, and at other religious and social occasions. The dancers, usually men, wear white clothes and dance around a jaitkhamb (a white pillar or pole with a flag, which is a symbol of the Satnami faith) or an image of Guru Ghasidas. The songs praise the Guru and describe his teachings. The dance starts slowly and becomes faster and faster, with the dancers performing acrobatic movements, such as forming human pyramids, to the beat of the mandar (drum) and the jhanjh (cymbals).

Why not the other options?

• ✗Raut Nacha is a folk dance of the Yadav (Raut) community of Chhattisgarh, performed around Diwali.
• ✗Gaur Maria is the bison horn dance of the Maria tribe of the Bastar region.
• ✗Suwa is the parrot dance of the women of Chhattisgarh.
• ✗Good to know
• ✗All three are folk dances of Chhattisgarh, but Radhe Shyam Barle is linked with Panthi.