Kamakhya Temple is located in Guwahati City in India’s Assam state. Every year, between Aug. 17 and 19, thousands of devotees from various parts of the country descend upon the temple to celebrate the three-day event known as the Deodhani Hindu Dance Festival.
The Deodhani Dance is a semi-classical dance form common across parts of Assam state. It is associated with the worship of the snake goddess Manasa. In mythology, a character named Behulaa had to dance in front of Manasa to get back her husband’s life.
The dancers at the festival appear as if they were a woman in a deep trance, to the sound of drums and cymbals and priests chanting hymns. The dancers perform various hand gestures and intricate footwork.
Photo: EPA
照片：歐新社
The word deodhani itself derives from two words, deo, meaning “god,” and dhani, meaning “woman.”
(Paul Cooper, Taipei Times)
卡摩加耶廟位於印度阿薩姆邦的古瓦哈提市。每年八月十七日至十九日為印度教舞蹈慶典「戴奧達尼」（deodhani），來自全國各地的數千名信徒都會前往卡摩加耶廟，參加為期三天的慶祝活動。
Photo: EPA
照片：歐新社
戴奧達尼舞是阿薩姆邦各地所共有的半古典舞蹈形式，和女蛇神摩納娑的崇拜有關。印度神話中一位名叫波胡拉的女子被迫在摩納娑面前跳舞，來使她的丈夫復活。
慶典中的舞者，看起來就像是在鼓聲、鈸聲、教士誦經聲中陷入幻境的女人。舞者的手勢多樣、步法繁複。
「deodhani」一詞是源於兩個字：意為「神」的「deo」，以及意為「女人」的「dhani」。
Photo: EPA
照片：歐新社
（台北時報林俐凱譯）
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