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The Tripuri (Tipra or Tipperah) people are the original inhabitants of the state of Tripura in North East India. The Tripuri people through the Royal family of the Debbarmas ruled the state of Tripura for more than 1400 years till the kingdom joined the Indian Union in 1949. The Tripuris constitute the weightiest section of the entire indigenous population of the State of Tripura.
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The important dances of the Tripuris are:
Goria Dance
The life and culture of Tripuris revolve around Jhum (slash and burn) cultivation. When the sowing of seeds at a plot of land selected for Jhum is over by middle of April, they pray to the God 'Goria' for a happy harvest. The celebrations attached to the Goria Puja continue for seven days when they seek to entertain their beloved deity with song and dance.
Lebang Bumani Dance
After the Goria festival is over, the Tripuris have a time to rest awaiting the monsoon. During this period, folks of charming colorful insects called 'Lebang' use to visit hill slopes in search of seeds sewn on it. The annual visit of the insects renders the tribal youths to indulge in merry-making. While the men-folk make a peculiar rhythmic sound with the help of two bamboo chips in their hand, the women folk run tottering the hill slopes to catch hold of these insects called Lebang. The rhythm of the sound made by the bamboo chips attracts the insects from their hiding places and the women in-groups catch them. With the change of time jhuming on hill slopes are gradually diminishing. But the cultural life that developed centering round the jhum delved deep into the society. It still exists in the state's hills and dales as a reminiscence of the life, which the tribal of today cherish in memory, and preserve as treasure. In both the dances Tripuris use the musical instruments like Kham (the Kokborok word for drum) made of bamboo, Sumui (flute), Sarinda, Lebang made of bamboo and bamboo cymbal. Tripuri women generally put on indigenous ornaments like chain made of silver with coin, Bangle made of silver, ear and nose rings made of bronze. They prefer flower as ornaments.