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'[[Image:Giddha1.jpg|frame|right|Giddha dancers displaying their art.]] '''Giddha''' is a popular folk dance of women in [[Punjab]] and exhibits teasing, fun and exuberance of Punjabi life. The dance is derived from the ancient ring dance and is just as energetic as [[Bhangra]] and at the same time it manages to creatively display feminine grace, elegance and elasticity. Giddha is essentially danced in circles. Girls form rings and one of the dancers sit in the centre of this ring with a [[dholki]] (drum). The vitality of [[Bhangra]] can also be seen in the Giddha dance of the women of [[Punjab]]. This dance translates into gestures, bolian-verses of different length satirizing politics. The dancers enact verses called bolis, which represent folk poetry at its best. The subject matter of these bolis is wide ranging indeed – everything from arguments with the sister-in-law to political affairs figure in these lively songs - bolis can also cover themes from nature to excesses committed by the husband and his relatives, some talk about love affairs to the loneliness of a bride separated from her groom. [[Image:SikhDancers1.gif|thumb|150px|left|<small>Giddha dancer (photo by Captain Suresh, Flickz)</small>]] No musical instruments except perhaps a [[dholak]] accompanies Giddha and provides the rhythm for the dance. The distinctive hand-claps of the dancers is a prominent feature of this art-form. Giddha is a very vigorous folk dance and like other such dances of Northern India is taxing on the legs of the artists. Most commonly girls dance in twos. One participant generally sings the boli and when the last but one line is reached, the tempo of the song rises and all start dancing together. In this manner bolis alternate with the dance sequence which continue for a considerable period of time. Gidda dance is stylistically simple. The Punjabi salwar kameez or lehnga, rich in color and decoration is worn. Jingle of the bells, thumping of the feet, beat of the drum and the splendour of [[Punjabi]] women in their striking traditional dress creates an enchanting atmosphere. Giddha is very popular as it is not performed according to any rigid set pieces or sequences; it is free-style, spontaneous and creative. Harmony is the essence in Giddha movements that are inclusive of swinging and twisting the body, shaking of the shoulders, bending to a double and clapping. Mimicry is also very popular in Giddha. One girl may play the aged bridegroom and another his young bride; or one may play a quarrel-some sister-in-law and another a humble bride. In this way Giddha provides for all the best forum for venting of one's emotions. Giddha dance incorporate village life scenes of woman spinning cotton, fetching water from the well, grinding, etc. This is accompanied with appropriate boli and songs. [[Image:Giddha.gif|thumb|150px|right|<small>Giddha dancer (photo by Captain Suresh, Flickz)</small>]] '''Gidda Dress''' (for Women) The traditional dress during giddha dance is short female style shirt (choli) with ghagra or lehnga (loose shirt upto ankle-length) or ordinary Punjabi Salwar-Kamiz, rich in colour, cloth and design. The ornaments that they wear are suggi-phul (worn on head) to pazaibs (anklets), haar-hamela, (gem-studded golden necklace) baazu-band (worn around upper-arm) and raani-haar (a long necklace made of solid gold). Traditional dress for gidda is quite elegant. It adds charm to feminine grace and is comfortable enough to allow women to perform giddha dance with ease. Giddha dress is quite simple and one can find women in rural [[Punjab]] donning it everyday. The only difference is that costume for giddha makes use of brighter colors and is complemented with heavy jewellery. * [[Dupatta]] ([[chunn]] or scarf): This is heavily embroidered in a gidda costume. * [[Kameez]] (shirt) * [[Salwaar]] (baggy pants) * Tikka (jewellery on the forehead) * Jhumka (long dangling earrings) * Paranda (braid tassle) * Suggi-Phul (worn on head) * Raani-Haar (a long necklace made of solid gold) * Haar-Hamela (gem-studded golden necklace) * Baazu-Band (worn around upper-arm) * Pazaibs (anklets) Though salwar kammez is quite popular amongst women performing giddha dance but some also like to go in for lehanga (long flowing skirt) and choli (blouse). Sometimes women also wear sharraras (ghagara with split pants). In case of salwaar kameez, usually the kameez is of contrasting color from the dupatta and salwaar. In a gidda costume dupatta is not necessarily worn on the head. Women performing giddha dance also adorn themselves with a lot of jewellery including bangles, tikka, jhumkas, necklace and nath (nose ring). Characteristic feature of gidda dress is a paranda - a tassle that is woven into the braid. Womenfolk love to go in for longer and fancier parandas. <gallery> Image:Giddha1c.jpg Image:Giddha2b.jpg Image:Giddha3b.jpg Image:Giddha4c.jpg </gallery> ==External Links== *[ http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=IN&feature=share&v=KzEb8TJXqdQ ] *[http://punjabgovt.nic.in/Culture/DancesPunjab.htm punjabgovt.nic.in] *[http://bhangraworld.blogspot.com World of Bhangra and Gidha] * [http://www.lohrifestival.org/gidda-dance.html www.lohrifestival.org] * [http://www.sadapunjab.com/cv/Literature_On_Punjab/PUNJAB/Giddha,_A_truly_colorful_dance_of_punjabi_womens/index0.html www.sadapunjab.com] * [http://www.4to40.com/discoverindia/music/index.asp?article=discoverindia_music_greatplains www.4to40.com] * [http://spinninginair.blogspot.com/2006/09/giddha.html spinninginair.blogspot.com] * [http://www.onlypunjab.com/culture/giddha.html www.onlypunjab.com] '''Videos''' * [http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=giddha www.youtube.com] {{Dances of Punjab}} [[Category:Folk]]'