Bhairah Naach ("Dance of Bhairav") is an ancient masked dance performed by the Newar community in the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal as part of the Indrajatra festival and named after Bhairab (Bhairav, an aspect of Shiva).
There are 12 gods and goddesses in this dance. Dagini (Dakini), Kwancha, Bhucha, Bhairava, Kali Bhairab, Indrayani, Barah, Kumari, Vishnuvi (Vaishnavi), Bramhayani (Brahmin), Maheshwari (Ganga) and Ganesha. Bhairava leads and conducts the dance. Before performing the dance, all the performers are purified and put on formal clothes and masks (Khwapa). After putting on the mask, none of the performers are allowed to speak until they are removed.
Kilagh: Goddess Dance of Toll; Lakhe Naach of Majipat tol and Laiku Bhaila (Royal Bhairav) of Madhyapur Thimi.
Bhairab Nach or Laiku Bhail is an ancient masked dance performed by Newar community in Madhyapur Thimima as a part of Gaijatra or Saparu. One of the two Bhairava dances now performed in Madhyapur Thimi, it is named Laiku Bhairah from the fact that it starts from Laiku (royal court) before going round the city. It is presented to tol tol in the month of August after four days of the Gaijatra.
Every day in the evening, the dance starts at the Bhairava temple and after one or two pradakshina and pooja, it continues for about six hours including the pooja at the host place. In the beginning all the 12 gods dance. After the pooja is over, the individual dance begins. The first is Bhairav with a swagger and bhuchcha, which is like a game between children and adults. It is called Jyoti Naach. Then comes Bhairava, Kali, Indrayani and Barah. It lasts for about an hour and is called Char Bhairab. It is an energetic dance and most people love to watch this part of the dance. Then comes Kumari, Vishnuvi, Brahmayani and Ganga. Then Ganesha dances solo. Then come Kwancha and Bhucha, again playing like children like you. Finally comes Dagini. All the 12 Bhairavas participate in the closing ceremony. Then the final pooja is performed and Bhairava returns to the temple. It is called Mahakali dance.
In the other Laiku Bhair city, in the absence of any kind of dance being taught by the people, it is considered to be called Laiku Bhair because it is taught and performed by the royal palace for the entertainment of the common people and to continue the original social work that has been going on from tradition. In this traditional dance, five artists, including four youths and a child, dance collectively. Men wear masks of Bhairav and Dagi (Kumari). Bhairav and Dagi are two people and a Jyapugacha (child actor). They dance to traditional spiritual music and after the dance they (except the child actors) begin to tremble with the divine power of the deities. When they tremble they lose their consciousness and do not know what happened. The adult dancers are mesmerized by the sound of daga baja, bhusya baja and ponga baja (various Newari instruments).
Recently, according to the dancers, they feel that they are encouraged to dance by divine power. According to them, while dancing, they lose half of their consciousness, heavy clothes start to lighten and when they tremble, they feel as if they are fainting or asleep. This shows that the community has a deep devotion to its tradition and culture. In this kind of performance, there is a tradition that even if it rains, you should not stop dancing.
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