Ram Sahay Panday (born 11 March 1933) is a Rai dancer from Sagar in the Indian State of Madhya Pradesh. The Rai (also spelt as Raai) dance was traditionally associated with the Bedia community which itself was associated with flesh trade. In spite of the fact that he was not a member of the community, he devoted his whole life to the practice and performance of the Rai dance and to secure acceptance and respectability to the dance form. His untiring efforts helped obtain national and international recognition to this dance form.
"The dance form Raai (or Rai) is basically a folk dance of Bundelkhand region. Raai means mustard seeds. When mustard seeds are put in a saucer they swing. Similarly, natives of the region also swing around when singer sings tales and songs. It is sort of a competition between the beats of music and the dancers. The drummer and the dancer try to win each other and the competition leads to a bliss."[1]
In the year 2022, Govt of India honoured Ram Sahay Panday by conferring the Padma Shri award for his contributions to art.[2]
Ram Sahay Panday was born in a Brahmin family on 11 March 1933 in Maddhar Patha village in Sagar district in Madhya Pradesh. His father Lalju Panday was a farmer and Ram Sahay Panday was the youngest among four brothers. Panday's first exposure to the Rai dance happened when he was 14 years old. Fascinated by the dance form he began practicing it. In Madhya Pradesh, the folk dance of Rai is associated with the Bedia community. They are a nomadic tribe that had been notified under the Criminal Tribes Act. Also, some people associate the community with flesh trade. Because of this stigma attached to the community and their dance form, Panday's family was totally opposed to his practicing the Rai dance form. Panday has been reported as saying "I was fighting with my family as well as the Brahmin community for practising this dance. I used to convince them that this is an art form nothing else but they ostracised me. But it only motivated me to take it to the zenith.” Even his children were ashamed of their father for being a Rai dancer.[3]
In 1964, he performed Rai dance at AkashvaniBhopal in the presence of the then Madhya Pradesh Chief MinisterGovind Narayan Singh and many other dignitaries. They were amazed with the dance form and that event happened to be a turning point in his life as after that he began getting some respect in society. Today this dance of Bundelkhand has made its own identity for which a lot of credit goes to Ram Sahai Panday. Panday has been training young men and women in Rai dance for many years. In the year 2006, under the leadership of Panday, Rai dance was presented in Dubai by the Government of Madhya Pradesh.
In the year 2000, an organization named Bundeli Folk Dance and Natya Kala Parishad was established, where training is being given in the Rai dance.[4]
Padma Shri awardedit
In the year 2022, Govt of India conferred the Padma Shri award, the third highest award in the Padma series of awards, on Ram Sahay Panday for his distinguished service in the field of art.[2] The award is in recognition of his service as a "Renowned Rai Folk Dancer from Sagar known for popularizing Bundeli Folk."[5]
Other recognitionsedit
Elected a member of the Tribal Lokkala Parishad established by the Madhya Pradesh government (1980)
Honoured with the title "Nritya Shiromani" by the Madhya Pradesh government (1980)
Awarded "Shikhar samman" by Madha Pradesh government (1984)
^"Bundelkhand Dances". Bundelkhand Heritage. Bundelkhand Development Authority. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
^ ab"Padma Awards 2022" (PDF). Padma Awards. Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt of India. (PDF) from the original on 2022-01-25. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
^"A Brahmin who adopted tribal Rai dance among Padma awardees in MP". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
^Nitin Thakkur. "Padma Award 2022: राई नृत्य को अंतरराष्ट्रीय पहचान दिलाने वाले 94 वर्षीय राम सहाय पांडे को मिलेगा पद्म श्री सम्मान, शहर में छाई खुशी की लहर". abpLive. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
^"Padma Awards 2022". Padma Awards. Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt of India. from the original on 2022-01-29. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
External linksedit
Ram Sahay Panday performing Rai dance in Dubai in 2006 on YouTube (Video uploaded by Bundelikala Parishad)
President Kovind presents Padma Shri to Shri Ram Sahay Panday for Art on YouTube
May 03, 2024
sahay, panday, born, march, 1933, dancer, from, sagar, indian, state, madhya, pradesh, also, spelt, raai, dance, traditionally, associated, with, bedia, community, which, itself, associated, with, flesh, trade, spite, fact, that, member, community, devoted, wh. Ram Sahay Panday born 11 March 1933 is a Rai dancer from Sagar in the Indian State of Madhya Pradesh The Rai also spelt as Raai dance was traditionally associated with the Bedia community which itself was associated with flesh trade In spite of the fact that he was not a member of the community he devoted his whole life to the practice and performance of the Rai dance and to secure acceptance and respectability to the dance form His untiring efforts helped obtain national and international recognition to this dance form The dance form Raai or Rai is basically a folk dance of Bundelkhand region Raai means mustard seeds When mustard seeds are put in a saucer they swing Similarly natives of the region also swing around when singer sings tales and songs It is sort of a competition between the beats of music and the dancers The drummer and the dancer try to win each other and the competition leads to a bliss 1 In the year 2022 Govt of India honoured Ram Sahay Panday by conferring the Padma Shri award for his contributions to art 2 Contents 1 Life and work 2 Padma Shri award 3 Other recognitions 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksLife and work editRam Sahay Panday was born in a Brahmin family on 11 March 1933 in Maddhar Patha village in Sagar district in Madhya Pradesh His father Lalju Panday was a farmer and Ram Sahay Panday was the youngest among four brothers Panday s first exposure to the Rai dance happened when he was 14 years old Fascinated by the dance form he began practicing it In Madhya Pradesh the folk dance of Rai is associated with the Bedia community They are a nomadic tribe that had been notified under the Criminal Tribes Act Also some people associate the community with flesh trade Because of this stigma attached to the community and their dance form Panday s family was totally opposed to his practicing the Rai dance form Panday has been reported as saying I was fighting with my family as well as the Brahmin community for practising this dance I used to convince them that this is an art form nothing else but they ostracised me But it only motivated me to take it to the zenith Even his children were ashamed of their father for being a Rai dancer 3 In 1964 he performed Rai dance at Akashvani Bhopal in the presence of the then Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Govind Narayan Singh and many other dignitaries They were amazed with the dance form and that event happened to be a turning point in his life as after that he began getting some respect in society Today this dance of Bundelkhand has made its own identity for which a lot of credit goes to Ram Sahai Panday Panday has been training young men and women in Rai dance for many years In the year 2006 under the leadership of Panday Rai dance was presented in Dubai by the Government of Madhya Pradesh In the year 2000 an organization named Bundeli Folk Dance and Natya Kala Parishad was established where training is being given in the Rai dance 4 Padma Shri award editIn the year 2022 Govt of India conferred the Padma Shri award the third highest award in the Padma series of awards on Ram Sahay Panday for his distinguished service in the field of art 2 The award is in recognition of his service as a Renowned Rai Folk Dancer from Sagar known for popularizing Bundeli Folk 5 Other recognitions editElected a member of the Tribal Lokkala Parishad established by the Madhya Pradesh government 1980 Honoured with the title Nritya Shiromani by the Madhya Pradesh government 1980 Awarded Shikhar samman by Madha Pradesh government 1984 See also editPadma Shri Award recipients in the year 2022References edit Bundelkhand Dances Bundelkhand Heritage Bundelkhand Development Authority Retrieved 8 April 2022 a b Padma Awards 2022 PDF Padma Awards Ministry of Home Affairs Govt of India Archived PDF from the original on 2022 01 25 Retrieved 11 February 2022 A Brahmin who adopted tribal Rai dance among Padma awardees in MP Hindustan Times Retrieved 8 April 2022 Nitin Thakkur Padma Award 2022 र ई न त य क अ तरर ष ट र य पहच न द ल न व ल 94 वर ष य र म सह य प ड क म ल ग पद म श र सम म न शहर म छ ई ख श क लहर abpLive Retrieved 7 April 2022 Padma Awards 2022 Padma Awards Ministry of Home Affairs Govt of India Archived from the original on 2022 01 29 Retrieved 11 February 2022 External links editRam Sahay Panday performing Rai dance in Dubai in 2006 on YouTube Video uploaded by Bundelikala Parishad President Kovind presents Padma Shri to Shri Ram Sahay Panday for Art on YouTube Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ram Sahay Panday amp oldid 1194486031, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
