Varsha PandeyThe folk dances of Haryana are the rich folklore and traditions of the country and reflect the cultural background of the people.
This folk dance brings people together, dances, and rejoices, whether it is for celebrations such as festivals, fairs, weddings, births, or even harvest season. The folk dance, art, and culture of Haryana have a special place.
people here decorate their art according to their own.
The folk dance of Haryana is unique in the whole of India and the culture here gives Haryana a special place on the map of India.
Folk dances and folk songs of Haryana reflect the cultural life here.
So, some of the major folk dances of Haryana are here.
Homo folk dance of Haryana
farmers performs this dance in the month of Falgun.
This dance can be done by both men and women.
During the performance, women wear colorful traditional costumes and men wear colorful turbans.
Sangchum Folk dances of Haryana
It is a popular traditional folk dance of Haryana.
Basically, dance truly reflects the culture of Haryana.
The dance depicts religious stories and folktales.
Saang is a traditional form of Haryanvi theater that combines dance, drama, and music.
It involves storytelling through song and dance and is often performed during festivals and special occasions.
The performers, known as “Saangis,” wear colorful costumes and use props to depict stories from mythology and folklore.
But that last five hours, mostly in public places.
Cross-dressing is very popular in Haryana’s traditional folk dance.
where some male dancers dress up as women to play female roles in the dance.
The word “Sang” or “Swang” means “disguise” or “recognize.”
This dance form is believed to have originated in 1750 AD.
It was designed in its current form by Kishan Lal Bhat.
Chathi Dance
In many places in India, the birth of a newborn baby brings joy.
The chathi dance is also a ceremonial dance on the same occasion.
However, this dance is only when a boy is born.
Women perform this dance on the sixth day after giving birth.
It is a dance at night.
Bakli made of wheat and gram is distributed to the people present at the end of this dance.
Koriya dance
The Koriya dance is a collective form of Jumar dance.
So, primarily women perform in a variety of styles and steps.
This dance is popular in the central region of Haryana.
Basically, dance is about people’s daily activities.
and most important occasions of dance such as harvesting, agricultural work, etc.
For this dance, performers wear heavy, rugged dupattas with skirts embroidered with fine gold thread and brightly decorated veils.
The simple movements acquire form and color with the swirling of the flared skirt and these steps later increase the tempo.
Dhamaal dance
It is famous in the Gurgaon area.
The dance from Mahabharata time.
This dance is only for men.
They sing and dance to the sound of Dhamal.
It is said that people do this dance when their crops are ready to be harvested.
During the dance, male participants form a semicircle and offer prayers to the divine trinity of Lord Ganesha, Goddess Bhavani, Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Shiva.
It is very famous in the Ahirwal area around Gurugram, Rewari, Jhajjar, and Mahendragarh.
This dance is performed a lot on the moonlight night of Falguni.
Dhamal is a lively and energetic folk dance that is commonly performed during celebrations and festivals in Haryana.
It is known for its exuberant and joyful nature.
In the Dhamal dance, participants form a circle or a group and dance to the beat of traditional musical instruments, such as dhol (drum), manjira (cymbals), and shehnai (wind instruments).
The dance movements are typically quick and involve rhythmic footwork, clapping, and sometimes even jumping.
Dhamal is often performed during special occasions like weddings, fairs, and religious festivals.
It is a cultural expression of the joy and enthusiasm of the people of Haryana.
The dancers often wear colorful traditional attire, and the performance is accompanied by folk songs and music that reflect the cultural heritage of the region
Daaf dance
The Daaf dance is a seasonal dance.
performed primarily by farmers.
Usually to celebrate a bountiful spring harvest.
Dafas or one-sided drums accompany music to the sound of jewelry worn by women.
Gumar Dance
The Gumar dance is popular in the western part of the state.
Ghoomar is a popular folk dance of Haryana, traditionally performed by women.
It involves graceful circular movements, where women twirl around in colorful attire, typically ghagras (long, flared skirts).
The dance is accompanied by traditional folk songs that narrate stories of rural life and love.
The circular movements of the dancers give this dance a special character.
Gumar is usually by girls from state border areas.
The dancers move in a circle, clapping their hands and singing.
The girls dance and sing in circles, with pairs of girls moving and spinning faster as the music progresses.
The accompanying songs are full of sarcasm, humor, and contemporary happenings, and the dancers move in pairs.
This dance is during festivals like Holi, Gangaur Puja, and Teej.
This is the original dance of the state of Rajasthan.
It is very famous in some districts of Haryana which are bordering Rajasthan.
This dance is by women throughout the night on the arrival of the newlyweds when all the men have left for the procession.
Jumar dance
Named after the ornament “Jumar”,
the Jumar dance is also one of the popular folk dances of Haryana.
The young married woman performs this dance.
The dance is on the tune of instruments such as dholak and thali.
The performers wear colorful costumes and adorn themselves with sparkling jewels.
Jumar dance is also known as “Haryanvi Gidda” in some parts of the state.
Guga dance Folk dances of Haryana
The worshipers of Saint Gugga called this dance Gugga.
The traditional folk dance of Haryana called Gugga dance is only by men.
This is done during a procession in honor of Saint Gugga.
In this performance, devotees dance around Gugapir’s tomb and sing various songs in his honor and praise.
Loor Dance Folk dances of Haryana
This Lur dance is named after girls from the Bangar region of Haryana.
This dance is especially during Holi.
This dance marks the sowing of plants in the fields with the joyous arrival of the spring season.
Lyrics are usually in the form of questions and answers.
In this dance, girls usually wear Gagra, Kurti, Chundri, and Chunda.
Rasa Lila Dance Folk dances of Haryana
The word “rasa” means dance.
This traditional folk dance of Haryana.
It has been popular among the people of the Braj region of the Faridabad region.
The dance form of Ras-Lila is with many songs in praise of Lord Krishna.
The songs are narrative in nature and detail Lord Krishna’s various incarnations.
Raas Leela claims the world as his own and becomes a dance of spiritual bliss with the gopis and the dancing god.
This dance is also very popular, it is in the form of dance drama related to Lord Shri Krishna and Gopis.
This dance is also performed on the occasion of Janmashtami.
mostly it is in Faridabad, Hodal, Palwal, etc.
Kheda Dance
This dance is in sorrow instead of happiness, if an elderly person dies in the family then this dance is done.
Ghodi dance
Kachhi Ghodi is a popular folk dance of Rajasthan that is also performed in the Haryana region.
It involves dancers imitating mounted horse riders and performing energetic movements to the beat of drums and other instruments.
The dancers wear elaborate costumes that resemble horses and engage in mock combat.
This dance is on the occasion of marriage and Ghudchadi.
In this dance, cardboard or paper masks are used by men, it is a popular dance in Rajasthan.
Fag dance
This dance is in the month of Phalgun and 10-12 days before Holi.
In this, women wear colorful clothes and men wear colorful turbans.
It is said that this dance is when the farmer brings the crop home.
In many places, men also perform this dance and women also dance at the night.
Dhol dance Folk dances of Haryana
Veer Rasa and Shringar Rasa are predominant in this dance.
This dance is in the spring season.
This dance was performed for the first time in 1969 at the Republic Day celebrations.
Goga dance Folk dances of Haryana
It is also the Guga dance.
This dance is by men before and on the day of Navami.
Goga Pir is worshiped by most Hindus and Muslims.
In this dance, the devotees and saints of Goga Pir beat themselves with chains.
On this day people dance with Dhol, Nagada, Chimta, Thali, etc.
Raat dance
This dance is most popular in the Mewat district.
Basically, women and men dance with drums and manjirs.
This dance is also famous in Jhilka and Mahendragarh areas.
Gana Dance
This dance is from 1750.
This is a Veer Rasa predominant dance and a glimpse of the art and culture of Haryana emerges from this dance.
In this dance, men wear women’s clothes and dance as women.
This dance is mainly on religious songs in open places.
Holi Dance
Dance relates to the seasonal festival of spring.
the farmer rejoices and relaxes after the completion of their agricultural operations.
It arrives in various formations to the accompaniment of drums and pipes.
Both men and ladies participate in this dance.
Instruments like dhol, jhajh, chimta, khartal, and thalis and anklets on the feet of the dancers produce the rhythm.
Sprinkle Abir, gulal, and colore water on each other by the dancers.
Saang dance
Saang dance is a popular traditional folk dance of Haryana.
Dance shows the culture of Haryana in the true sense.
A group of people in even numbers such as 10 or 12 people performs it.
The dance mainly reflects religious stories.
folk tales that are in open public places for 5 hours.
Cross-dressing is quite popular in this traditional folk dance of Haryana, some of the male participants dress up as women to perform the part of the female in the dance.
The meaning of ‘Saang’ or ‘Swang’ is disguise or ‘to impersonate’.
It is believed that this dance form first originated and then evolved in its present form by Kishan Lal Bhaat in 1750 AD.
Some other folk dances of Haryana
Damru Dance
This dance is famous on the day of Mahashivratri.
On this day people dance by playing Damru.
Gangaur Dance
It is very popular in the Hisar and Fatehabad regions. In this dance, women worship Goddess Parvati.
Bean-bansuri Dance
This dance is in almost the entire state of Haryana, by tying rubber on the pot and taking out the tune of some famous songs.
The ‘been-bansuri’ dance moves to the accompaniment of ‘Hawa’, which is a wind instrument and bansuri.
Teej Dance
This dance is done on the occasion of the Teej festival.
So, in the month of Sawan women swing and dance together.
Chaupaiya
which is a devotional dance and men and women carrying ‘manjira’.
Deepak dance
men and women carrying earthen lamps express their devotion through dance, which often lasts all night.
Ratwai dance
Dance is a favorite among the Mewatis.
During rain, they perform this dance.
Conclusion
These folk dances of Haryana serve as a means of celebrating the region’s cultural diversity, traditions, and history.
They are often at various social and cultural events, festivals, weddings, and other occasions, bringing communities together and preserving the rich heritage of the state.
