Jhumur Dance of Assam Tea Gardens: A Living Folk Tradition

My daughter had an interesting bedtime ritual until she turned two this year. Every night when sleep called, I had to sing one special song, “Ke Toke Bandhi” by the famous Assamese singer Papon, which would calm her instantly. Her face would light up with the sweetest smile. This beautiful song comes from Assam’s tea gardens. The musical style is called the Jhumur dance of Assam. Jhoomor, Jhumur or Jhumoir, whatever name you prefer, is a traditional dance. The tea garden communities across Assam practice and carry it out. The melody carries such sweetness that I am in love with it completely.

I don’t belong to Assam’s tea garden community. Yet this song fills me with the same freshness and charm. Jhumur dance of Assam has this magical power. It touches hearts beyond boundaries and communities. You feel a sense of pride for the people of this entire region, celebrating life as they have it. Just hear it out once!

Origins and History

Jhumur dance of Assam grew in tea gardens over two centuries. It came with Adivasi communities from Chotanagpur. Today, it remains central to tea garden life and identity. As evenings fall, courtyards turn into stages, songs rise with aligned steps align and the community finds its voice again.

Jhumur dance of Assam emerged in colonial times and grew in tea gardens over two centuries. It came with Adivasi communities from Chotanagpur. Workers arrived in large numbers after 1863, and the Transport of Native Labourers Act enabled this movement. Communities included Mundas, Santhals, Oraons, Gonds, and Kharias. They carried songs from “Jhum” farming traditions. These songs blended into a shared dance in Assam.

Are you curious about this worker migration from across India to Assam Tea gardens about 200 years ago? If so, I recommend reading the post titled “Tea Tribes of Assam: Their Migration Story and Enduring Legacy.” It explains the full history and what led to it.

Plantation life was harsh and tightly controlled. Yet, Jhumur provided relief and unity. It offered dignity after long shifts. It preserved memory through music and movement.

Some Key facts about this dance are as below:

1. 1863: Transport of Native Labourers Act passed.
2. Recruitment: Sardari and Arkatti systems were used.
3. Source region: Chotanagpur Plateau, central-eastern India.
4. Roots: Jhum cultivation songs and seasonal rituals.
5. Purpose: Stress relief, solidarity, and cultural continuity.

Where and When It Is Performed

Jhumur dance of Assam flows through both everyday moments and special celebrations. With nothing more than a madal drum, a heartfelt song, and eager dancers, it transforms any space into a stage. You might glimpse Jhumur in a tea garden courtyard at dusk, when plucking ends and joy begins. It brightens weddings and village fairs, fills community halls during the monsoon rains, and anchors school cultural days. Tour guides now incorporate live Jhumur shows on Eco-tourism routes. City auditoriums and festival grounds embrace their simple, stirring charm. Even alongside classical or modern performances, Jhumur stands out, and its unadorned steps and honest spirit win over every audience.

Formation and Movement Vocabulary

Jhumur dance of Assam thrives on togetherness, inviting every dancer into its circle. Its movements are delightfully simple and easy to repeat, so anyone can join the fun. You’ll notice:

1. Arms linked at the waist, binding dancers in one embrace.
2. Chains and circles that wind through the courtyard like living threads.
3. Gentle onward-and-back sways timed to steady beats.
4. Grounded footwork with small, rhythmic steps.
5. Hand gestures that recall the motions of sowing seeds and harvesting leaves.
6. Call-and-response voices between singers and drummers guide the flow.

The pattern is so clear that children learn by watching their elders. With each breath and drumbeat, the circle pulses as one living body.

Music, Instruments, and Songs

Jhumur dance of Assam comes alive with live folk music, weaving a rich tapestry of sound that guides every step. Musicians and dancers create an immersive world where rhythm and melody tell the community’s story.

Key musical elements include:

1. Madal: a two-headed drum that sets the heartbeat at around 80 beats per minute, matching workers’ pace in the fields.
2. Dhol and dhumsa: barrel drums that add deep, resonant bass notes heard across tea garden courtyards.
3. Taal: small metal cymbals that punctuate each beat with sparkling accents.
4. Bamboo flute: delivers lilting phrases that float above the percussion.
5. Shehnai: a reed instrument reserved for festive or sacred performances.

Songs span themes of migration, daily labour, and love. The haunting line “Chol mini Assam jabo” (“Come, let’s go to Assam”) echoes the 19th-century recruitment promises. Lyrics use tribal dialects like Mundari, Sadri, Kurukh, etc. to preserve memory and stoke pride. Often, women lead the refrains, their voices carrying both tenderness and strength across the gathering.

Festivals with Jhumur

Jhumur dance of Assam often intertwines with the tea communities’ seasonal rituals. This includes, most notably, Karam Puja. Still, it maintains its own identity. During these observances, movement and devotion blend into a single celebration.

Key festival facts are as below:

1. Karam Puja (Bhado Ekadashi): Declared a garden holiday across Assam each September. Tea estate workers honour the Karam tree, then execute Jhumur sequences around its decorated branches.
2. Youth-led Performances: Young performers lead the Jhumur Nach (dance) and Jhumur Geet (song), keeping the tradition vibrant.
3. Procession and Rhythm: Villagers carry Karam branches in procession, accompanied by madal and Dhol. The beat dictates dance timings, from dawn’s first light to moonlit nights.
4. Festival Cadence: Each phase of Karam Puja has its Jhumur variation. This includes ritual worship, communal feast, and evening dance. Each reflects the harvest cycle.

While Jhumur appears at other occasions, Karam Puja remains its most documented ritual context. A deeper look at festival forms can follow in a dedicated post. Here, we focus on how Jhumur shines within Assam’s living tea-garden culture.

Costumes and Aesthetics

Jhumur dance of Assam is performed in attire that is both practical for movement and rich in local meaning. Typical costume details are as below:

Together, these elements create a cohesive group image. From a distance, the white-and-red palette stands out clearly, while intricate details reward a closer look. The costumes unify dancers visually without unnecessary frills, keeping the focus on movement and community spirit.

Social Role and Cultural Meaning

Jhumur dance of Assam does more than entertain. It weaves tea garden communities together and safeguards their shared story.

Core social impacts of this dance and the rituals around it are as below:

1. Emotional relief: After ten-hour leaf-plucking shifts, dancers find release in rhythmic steps and song.
2. Community bonds: Linked arms and shared breath unite Mundas, Santhals, Oraons, Gonds, Kharias, and more across hundreds of gardens.
3. Cultural identity: In villages far from Chotanagpur, Jhumur keeps tribal traditions alive despite generations of migration.
4. Knowledge transfer: Elders teach every footfall and lyric to children, turning courtyard rehearsals into living classrooms.
5. Women’s leadership: Female singers and dancers guide performances, ensuring women’s voices shape the narrative.

Since Jhumur happens nightly in many estates, its steps stay vibrant. The tea garden itself doubles as a cultural academy, producing a heritage that dances on its own.

Modern Revival and Recognition

In recent years, the Jhumur dance of Assam has leapt from garden courtyards onto the silver screen and national stages and has moved from garden courtyards to national headlines, reshaping how audiences see this folk art. Some recent events had a great impact on the spread and popularising the dance:

1. February 2025: Over 8,000 dancers performed Jhumur together at Sarusajai Stadium, Guwahati, celebrating 200 years of Assam’s tea industry in the “Jhumoir Binandini” showcase, which was attended by Prime Minister Modi and streamed live to millions.
2. Government grants now support more than 600 Jhumur troupes annually, with ₹25,000 given to each group for training and costumes.
3. Doordarshan’s broadcasts on local and regional festivals regularly include Jhumur performances from tea estates, reaching urban homes across India.
4. Cultural channels like WildFilmsIndia and News18 Assam have licensed Jhumur footage, cementing its status as Assam’s signature folk heritage.

These milestones, like mega showcases, feature films, and televised festivals, have brought the Jhumur dance of Assam to new audiences, ensuring its rhythms and stories continue to thrive beyond the plantations.

Notable Practitioners and Tradition Bearers

Jhumur dance of Assam thrives today because of artists, teachers, and community leaders dedicated to keeping it alive. Their work spans teaching, preserving old songs, staging performances, and promoting the tradition to wider audiences. Each of them acts as a pillar supporting this living heritage.

Key figures include:

1. Bhadra Rajwar – Respected teacher and choreographer, training hundreds of tea garden youth in authentic Jhumur steps and formations.
2. Govind Sharan Lohra – Folk archivist and singer, known for recording traditional Jhumur Geet in original tribal dialects for cultural preservation.
3. Mukund Nayak – Padma Shri awardee, cultural educator, and advocate, who has brought Jhumur to national stages and school curricula.
4. Sunita Murmu – Popular YouTube tutor whose online videos have helped the tea community worldwide reconnect with the dance.
5. Sajan Nayak – Performer, singer, and troupe leader, known for creating widely shared Jhumur videos, blending traditional rhythms with engaging stage presence, and participating in mega events like “Jhumoir Binandini” in 2025.
6. Tea Community Troupe of Jorhat – Award-winning ensemble of over 50 members performing at Assam’s biggest cultural festivals and national events.

Just as important are the local teachers and elders across the tea gardens. They safeguard original steps, old lyrics in Mundari, Sadri, and Kurukh, and the meaning behind every movement. While they may not always be on big stages, their role is vital. Without them, the true essence of the Jhumur dance of Assam would fade over time.

Jhumur in Today’s Pop Culture

Jhumur dance of Assam has gained mainstream recognition through authentic performances by celebrated artists. Popular singer-composer Papon recorded “Jhumoor” with Dulal Manki and Simantha Shekhar in 2013, staying true to traditional tea garden roots. He later performed this folk song at the Dhaka International Folk Fest 2017, introducing international audiences to Assamese heritage.

Assamese superstar Zubeen Garg has sung popular Jhumur songs like “Mor Dhoni Go,” which remains widely performed across tea gardens. His Jhumur compositions have been used in school cultural programs, with students performing authentic dance steps to his melodies.

The February 24, 2025, Jhumoir Binandini event marked a historic milestone. Over 8,000 dancers performed at the same time at Sarusajai Stadium, Guwahati, with Prime Minister Modi as chief guest. This world record effort celebrated 200 years of Assam’s tea industry and was broadcast live across India.

WildFilmsIndia documented authentic Jhumur performances at cultural festivals like Sangai in Manipur, helping preserve this heritage on digital platforms. These verified recordings now serve as educational resources for cultural researchers and dance enthusiasts.

Social media platforms host viral clips from mega-events, reaching global audiences. Tourism packages increasingly feature live Jhumur dance of Assam shows, connecting visitors with tea garden culture through authentic performances rather than commercial adaptations.

Closing Thought

My daughter is almost three years old now, and she no longer needs “Ke Toke Bandhi” to fall asleep. Yet often, I still hum the melody softly. Jhumur dance of Assam taught me something beautiful. Music, boundary and movement cross all boundaries.

In tea gardens across Assam, children learn these same rhythms. They link arms with friends and sway to ancient beats. They carry on stories their great-grandparents sang.

Maybe one day, my daughter will teach her children this song. She will explain how the Jhumur dance of Assam touched our family. How a lullaby from distant tea gardens became part of our bedtime ritual.

Culture travels in mysterious ways. It moves from garden courtyards to city homes. From tribal communities to urban families. From generation to generation.

Jhumur dance of Assam reminds us of this truth. We are all connected by invisible threads. Music weaves these threads stronger. Dance makes them shine brighter.

In linked arms and shared songs, we find our common humanity. The tea leaves grow, the dancers gather and the circle continues.

Source:

1. Featured Image: Rishiraj Mahato, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
2. Jhumur Image: By Ranbirsingh – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18307274
3. Jhumur Dance Troupe: By Vikram Ekka – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45097893

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