"The tribe I am treating of are seen to best advantage at the great
national dance meetings called Jatras, which are held once a year at
convenient centres, generally large mango groves in the vicinity of old
villages. As a signal to the country round, the flags of each village
are brought out on the day fixed and set upon the road that leads
to the place of meeting. This incites the young men and maidens to
hurry through their morning's work and look up their _jatra_ dresses,
which are by no means ordinary attire. Those who have some miles to
go put up their finery in a bundle to keep it fresh and clean, and
proceed to some tank or stream in the vicinity of the tryst grove;
and about two o'clock in the afternoon may be seen all around groups
of girls laughingly making their toilets in the open air, and young
men in separate parties similarly employed. When they are ready the
drums are beaten, huge horns are blown, and thus summoned the group
from each village forms its procession. In front are young men with
swords and shields or other weapons, the village standard-bearers
with their flags, and boys waving yaks' tails or bearing poles with
fantastic arrangements of garlands and wreaths intended to represent
umbrellas of dignity. Sometimes a man riding on a wooden horse is
carried, horse and all, by his friends as the Raja, and others assume
the form of or paint themselves up to represent certain beasts of
prey. Behind this motley group the main body form compactly together
as a close column of dancers in alternate ranks of boys and girls,
and thus they enter the grove, where the meeting is held in a cheery
dashing style, wheeling and countermarching and forming lines, circles
and columns with grace and precision. The dance with these movements
is called _kharia_, and it is considered to be an Oraon rather than
a Munda dance, though Munda girls join in it. When they enter the
grove the different groups join and dance the _kharia_ together,
forming one vast procession and then a monstrous circle. The drums
and musical instruments are laid aside, and it is by the voices alone
that the time is given; but as many hundreds, nay, thousands, join,
the effect is imposing. In serried ranks, so closed up that they
appear jammed, they circle round in file, all keeping perfect step,
but at regular intervals the strain is terminated by a _hururu_,
which reminds one of Paddy's 'huroosh' as he 'welts the floor,' and
at the same moment they all face inwards and simultaneously jumping
up come down on the ground with a resounding stamp that makes the
finale of the movements, but only for a momentary pause. One voice
with a startling yell takes up the strain again, a fresh start is
made, and after gyrating thus till they tire of it the ring breaks
up, and separating into village groups they perform other dances
independently till near sunset, and then go dancing home."