Sakhiya includes stories from Mahabharata. Songs from Krishnalila to Kansha's death are sung.
Most of the women of the Tharu community are dressed in traditional clothes. Someone is wearing other clothes. Men are sitting and playing Madal.
The women dressed in the community's original dress are dancing in the Madalkai lake. In Bedkot Municipality-9 Lalpur village of Kanchanpur, the sakhia has increased in intensity as Dussein approaches. Before
, men play madal. Behind, women dance to the same beat while playing mizra. During Dasain, Tharu villages are resounding with Sakhiya dance. Even though they are busy in bringing in paddy throughout the day, in the evening everyone gathers in the barghar's house and enjoys the Sakhiya dance. "This is a tradition since Satyug, it is also our identity," said Dhirendra Dagaunra, a barghar from Lalpur village, "It is called Sakhiya because Sakhisakhi (friends) dance together." Those who do not participate will be fined or otherwise punished. Young people play Madal and dance while the elderly and children watch and hold.
Lalpur village belongs to Bedkot municipality-7 and 9. There are 46 families here. From the beginning of the sakhiya dance to the end, two people from every house must participate regularly. Everyone gathers in Barghar's house till 8 o'clock in the evening after having dinner. After that they dance for one and a half hours and return home.
"Earlier, Sakhiya dance used to last for a month," said Sita Dagaunra of Lalpur, "now it has reduced and is limited to Navratri." According to her, people are very busy now. Interest in this is also decreasing. Therefore, now Sakhiya dance is performed from Ghatasthapana to Dasain. Dagaunra says that on other days, the dance is performed at barghar, but on Navami and Dasain days, it reaches all the houses in the village.
Sakhiya includes stories from Mahabharata. Songs from Krishnalila to Kansha's death are sung. In the early days, all the deities of the village are called through songs. Then Krishna's Leela is sung. "There are hardly any people who can sing like before," says Dagaunra, "only one or two people can be found in the village." After that, the singer is called Jethgohia and finally Pachgohia. Madaliya to those who play Madal. Morinya sings to the beat of Madal while others follow him by playing mizra. Manisha Dagaunra from Lalpur said, "We dance at every house from Ghatstapana, and on Navami and Dasain days, we go to everyone's house." If you can't say goodbye, it will continue even after Dasain.
At night, the scene of women dancing in Angia and Ghagaria along with the lake of Madal is very attractive. Locals from other communities also come to watch this dance. As it happens in every village, there are chants of Madal in every village. It makes the atmosphere of the festival even more festive.
'It is felt that Dasain has started only when the Sakhiya dance starts,' said Nisha Dagaunra of Lalpur, 'Earlier, our ancestors used to dance for a month, now we are reduced to 8/10 days.' It lasted until the days of Dasain. After dancing for a month, all the sagas were completed. But now there is an obligation to finish within 10 days.
Among the various dances performed by the Tharu community, Sakhiya is considered to be the most important and attractive. It is more important because it is danced in a group. Badghar Dagaunra says that this will also develop mutual support and brotherhood in the community. "Just as everyone unites for an important work, in the same way everyone unites for Sakhiya dance," he said.
