Svanga Also called Sangeet, has its origins in the late eighteenth century. This folk form, prevalent in Haryana and Punjab as well, is sourced in the ballads and semi-historical stories. Festivals and family occasions are reasons for a performance. An all-male cast will stage a play in the village open or in a patron's house. The simple costumes are contrasted with fancy head dresses, and lots of false hair.
Dialogues dominate the show, with songs occupying a secondary position.
This is a traditional folk dance of Braj, where a female dancer balances a column of lighted lamps, 'deepikas' over her head, while dancing. The 'charkula', a tapered wooden column with four to five circular tiers has earthern lamps on each level. The number of lamps can range from 51 to 108 at times. The dancer, with her face vieled moves with swift graceful movements while balancing the 40 to 50 kg 'charkula' on her head. This visually attractive, dramatic dance is performed on the dooj of Holi , to the accompaniment of 'rasiya' songs rendered by the menfolk.