LAVANI 

1. Context 

2. Key points

• Pawar took serious note of a complaint by well-known Lavani dancer Megha Ghadge during a meeting of the cultural cell of the NCP.
• Ghadge had not gone after Patil specifically but had raised the issue of the absolute degradation of Lavani culture by using DJs and making girls dance wearing ghaghra choli in front of the public.

3. About the Lavani folk art form

• The Word Lavani comes from "Lavanya" or beauty. Lavani is a traditional folk art form in which women dancers wear nine-yard-long sarees in bright colours, make-up and ghunghroos and perform on dholak beats on a stage before a live audience.
• As an indigenous art form, Lavani has a history going back several centuries and it attained particular popularity in the Peshwa era in the 18th century.
• Traditionally, performances were held in front of kings or lords and for the entertainment of tired soldiers resting during breaks in fighting.
• There are several sub-genres of Lavani of which the most popular is the Shringarik (erotic) kind, in which the lyrics are often teasing, with sensuous dance steps and delicate gestures employed to convey erotic meaning.
• Over the years, Lavani has gained more acceptability among the people, even though certain taboos around it continue.
• The audience has historically been all male, but in recent years, some women too have begun to attend performances.
• Lavani became well known outside Maharashtra throughout India and even outside the country following its use in popular media such as cinema.
• Over the past few years, with the explosion in the use of social media, short clips of dances have become very popular.

4. The basis of Criticism

• The sensual component in Lavani has long been frowned upon.
• In 1948, then Chief Minister of Bombay Balasaheb Kher banner Lavani performances after receiving complaints about their alleged obscenity.
• Cultural historians have recorded that this led to a sanitisation of the art form, with later performers choosing indirect references to erotic meanings over direct gestures and overt lyrics.
• Live performances continue to get huge responses from the public in rural Maharashtra and politicians and political parties often invite Lavani dancers to perform at their events.
• A mostly young and male crowd attends the programmes as female dancers perform film songs in both Hindi and Marathi.
• The women often dress in a risque fashion and their gestures to the crowd draw loud cheers.

5. Conclusion

• Lavani and other arts of Maharashtrian tradition are important but they should be performed in such a way that everyone can enjoy them.
• There should not be any obscenity. Unfortunately, in some districts, obscene dances have been banned but they continue to happen in other districts.

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