Himachali folk dramas have developed over the centuries and are a part of life and culture of rural people. Folk plays in the form of dances, songs and dramas have nourished a rich tradition. Though many of these have now become extinct and some are languishing, the rural folk have preserved and fostered quite a few folk-plays such as Swang, Banthra, Bhagtu etc.
District wise distribution folk dramas of Himachal Pradesh is given below:
Kariyala (करियाला) – Shimla
Swang (स्वांग) and Dhaja (धाजा) – Bilaspur
Banthda/Banthra (बांठड़ा) – Mandi
Bhagtu (भगतु) – Kangra
Jhanki (झांकी) and Haanter (हांतेर) – Chamba
Chandroli (चंद्रोली) – Kangra and Hamirpur
Watch out this video (Kariyala Folk Play):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kurj28EG4GA