Dollu Kunitha or Dollu Dance

Dollu is a percussion instrument which is used in the group dance of the "Kuruba's" community in North Karnataka area. A group  of 16 dancers beat the drum and dance to its different rhythms, which are controlled and directed by a leader with cymbals moving at the center. Slow and fast rhythms alternate and group weaves varied patterns.

The costumes are simple. Upper part of the body is left bare while the lower one has a black sheet-rug tied on the `dhooti'.

Beats and rhythms are fascinating to the viewer what with effect of sounds and simple choreography built by the rural genius.

In the year 1987 the "Dollu" dance troupe participated in the U.S.S.R. festival under the leadership of K.S.Haridas Bhat, toured two and half month traveled and presented glorious performances in Moscow, Leningrad, Vibrog Archangel, Murmansk, Pskov, Novogorod and Tashkent.