Santhal community's Dasai dance brings color to Dashain fair

At a Dashain fair held in Urlabari-9, Morang, on Wednesday, the Santhal community performed their traditional Dasai dance. Youths dressed in traditional attire danced together to the beat of drums and old instruments, drawing a large crowd of onlookers.

This dance, performed for generations during Dashain and Tihar, is tied to the Santhal community's cultural identity. The community, which lives in Morang and Jhapa in eastern Nepal, has continued to perform the Dasai dance at various fairs and festivals.

Local resident Phagulal Hasda said the fair's atmosphere feels distinctly different when the Dasai dance is performed. He described the dance as part of his ethnic identity, carried forward for generations. Community leaders say that without adequate attention to its preservation and promotion, safeguarding their traditional culture is becoming increasingly difficult.