Uttar Pradesh’s folk culture has had a long history of men cross-dressing and playing women in folk theatre, known as Nautanki, and dances. Nautanki has its roots in Multan, present-day Sindh, Pakistan, from where it travelled to Punjab and Eastwards to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The folk form was mostly for entertainment and spectacle and did not have a lot of religious influence. In these performances, the female parts were played by men dressed as women, as the societal norms of the time dictated that women should not perform in public to preserve their modesty. Although these norms are somewhat true even today in Uttar Pradesh, the custom of men dressing up and performing as women doesn’t continue for that reason, more so because it is entertaining and flashy.

Lavanda Naach is common across Eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, particularly where the Bhojpuri language and culture strongly influence. Men dressed up as women dance energetically, and even aggressively, to Nagada, Dhol and other traditional percussion instruments. The dance is performed at weddings, political rallies and also on the occasion of death. Like other Northern states, Uttar Pradesh also has the tradition of celebrating death. 

Shatrugan Paswan is one such Lavanda, as they are called, who started dancing in womanly attire as a means of coping with his family’s poverty. His group was earlier headed by Nathuni, but upon the retirement of their master due to his failing health, Shatrugan now manages the group and trains new dancers in the art.

They have performed all across the Bhojpur-Purvanchal region and have even received a certificate from the Purvanchal Culture Society in Delhi. Alongside the dance, Shatrugan incorporates many stunts in his performance, adding to the energy and spectacle. He and his group members believe that the stigma associated with the art form is unwarranted as they have managed to sustain their families through it and have gained fame and respect for their talents.