Dhunuchi naach is Durga Puja's dance with smoking clay incense burners to the dhak, held at evening arati from Saptami to Navami. Its meaning and safety tips.
Dhunuchi dance: clay burners of smoking coconut husk and incense, held aloft to the dhak. Photo: Bhuppigraphy, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
A dhunuchi is a clay vessel with a broad, open bowl on a short stem or base.
Idols take shape in a workshop lane at Kumartuli, north Kolkata. Photo: Pinakpani, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
There is no single fixed choreography. The dancer holds the dhunuchi in one hand, sometimes one in each hand, and moves to the dhak's rhythm, swaying, turning, bending and raising the burner towards the goddess.
Dhunuchi dance: clay burners of smoking coconut husk and incense, held aloft to the dhak. Photo: Bhuppigraphy, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
The dhunuchi holds burning embers.
Dhakis playing the dhak at a Durga Puja. Photo: AjayDas, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
The arati that frames the dance is part of each evening's rites; see Saptami, Ashtami and the full ritual sequence.
Clay diyas lit for Diwali. Photo: Alokjain19883105, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
Dhunuchi naach is Durga Puja's dance with smoking clay incense burners to the dhak, held at evening arati from Saptami to Navami. Its meaning and safety tips.
Dhunuchi naach → Next story: Kola Bou: the Nabapatrika and its nine plants All photo storiesMusic: Rhythm of Dhak a huge membranophone instrument from Bengal and Assam, used in Hindu religious festivals, especially Durga Puja, Sumita Roy Dutta, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.