Saila Dance:
Young boys from the plains of Chhattisgarh bring new enthusiasm & sprit for life after the post-harvest time by performing the Saila dance. Saila dance is a stick-dance that is popular in many regions of the State. Mostly it is famous among the people of Sarguja, Chhindwara and Baitul districts. But in these places, Saila is known by Danda Nach or Dandar Pate.
The Saila dance is performed with many variations in dancing style & pattern with much buffoonery. Sometimes the dancers stand in forming a circle, where each one is standing on one leg and taking help for support by holding on to the man in front. Then they all dance together taking round and round. Sometimes, they pair off or go round in a single or double line, occasionally, climbing on each other`s back. The climax in the performance of Saila is the great Snake dance. The Saila songs, of which the refrain is the monotonous Nanare nana are usually sung in a progressive mode leading to a highly vulgar conclusion.
Saila dance can be performed in number of ways. Some of them are named as the Baithiki Saila, the Artari Saila, the Thadi Saila, the Chamka Kunda Saila, the Chakramar Saila (lizard`s dance) and the Shikari Saila. Each form of variation is based on a certain theme and distinctive feature as its own identity.
Saila in its simplest form is performed as the Dasera dance that is always performed by the Baigas before festival of Diwali. Some of the post-harvest dances like Saila reach the climax towards the festivities of Diwali. Such dances of the Ahirs and Rawats of Bilaspur and Raipur districts of the state have a vital appeal.
