Captivating Dhimsa dance to go global!

Visakhapatnam: The captivating Dhimsa dance of Araku Valley is set to go ‘global’ as thousands of women to portray the tribal culture at the inaugural of Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport slated for August 1. Matching their rhythmic footsteps with the pulsating beats of Dhol and drums, close to 13,000 tribal women from various parts of Araku Valley, Paderu, Rampachodavaram, Sitampeta and Parvathipuram Manyam will present their Dhimsa skills right before Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will inaugurate the new airport at Bhogapuram.

Following Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s directions, the tribal welfare department is focusing on popularising Dhimsa at the mammoth event. As the full-time rehearsals at Araku Valley gather momentum, those who have been practising the dance under the guidance of master trainers find it thrilled to present the tribal culture before the Prime Minister, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister K Pawan Kalyan. “So far, we were only watching Prime Minister Narendra Modi on television. Now, we get the rarest chance not just to see him from close quarters but also present the popular Dhimsa dance before him,” shares Vanthala Preethi, a resident of Chompi village, Araku Valley mandal.

What has been confined to community celebrations, harvest festivals, wedding ceremonies, Jatara rituals and special occasions will now be viewed across the globe. “It is a great opportunity for the tribal girls to be part of the grandeur and make our Dhimsa dance go global,” says Korra Dhanalakshmi, who is excited to train others for the massive presentation. For Sarbha Saranya, who had discontinued Nursing diploma course a year back, the ensuing event is something she looks forward to. “Apart from occasional performance during the temple festivals and special ceremonies, we never had an opportunity to present Dhimsa at bigger events such as this one. We are quite glad to be part of it,” she mentions.

Before hitting the dance floor for the rehearsals, Dalapathi Gouri Devi, a 17-year-old Dhimsa dancer, says, “Not even in our wildest dreams, we thought of presenting Dhimsa before the Prime Minister. And now, it is going to happen. I consider the platform extremely special.”

Currently, full-time rehearsals are in progress at Araku Valley. Master trainers Poddu Arjun and Gattum Ganapathi Naidu mention that the trained dancers will soon train other girls for the mammoth event. “Showcasing tribal culture, the Dhimsa dance is set to draw global attention,” they emphasise. As the Prime Minister will be welcomed with traditional Dhimsa during the ASR International Airport’s inauguration, the record participation is likely to gain a place in the Guinness World Records.