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Ghoomar Dance

People of Rajasthan perform dances to express their emotions. These folk dances of Rajasthan display the rich culture and heritage of the land.

The Ghoomar dance is a very Popular and a community dance of women in Rajasthan. It is performed on various favorable occasions like fairs & festivals. It is called as `Ghoomar`Its name is derived from the word `ghoomna` of Ghaghra i.e. the flowing of Ghaghra, a long skirt of the Rajasthani women. The performers in Ghoomar dance bend their colorful ghagras that are rich in embroidery work and it is also embellished with mirror-work. There is a wonderful charm as the skirt style slowly while the women folk turn around in circles, their faces covered with the help of the mask.

Rajasthan has a large variety of dances, which are simple rustic expressions of celebration and festivity. The dancers, with their brightly colored costumes have make Thar the most colorful desert in the world with each region adding on to the tradition, its own form of dance styles and performers.
 

The Ghoomar dance is the distinctive dance of the Bhils and a community dance of the Rajputs, which is performed traditionally only by the women. It is considered as one of the traditional ceremony among this society. So, a bride is expected to dance Ghoomar after being welcomed at her husband`s home on the occasion of marriage.

Women from any age group, whether young or old can take part in Ghoomar dance. There are simple influential movements with special kind of footwork, to express the spirit of any favorable occasion. Sometimes this dance may go on for hours or the whole night. While dancing, the dancers move in a circular direction with clockwise and anti-clockwise steps. The performers sometimes join their hands and even clap their hand in-between. The performers move elegantly on the beat of the songs in steps., The dancers swirl fleetly as the tempo of the dance increases.

The performing arts of Rajasthan are in fact very rich in their traditional background and speak of a race that have passed through stages tribal primitiveness to move on to a brave feudalism triggered by the rise of the Rajputs as a class of royalty.

The large space of the Thar Desert of Rajasthan comes alive with the visible relief of its brightly dressed citizens; and when its dancers take the center stage, you just cannot stop tapping your feet. The Ghoomar Dance Rajasthan is one of the most popular folk dances in Rajasthan.
 

The Women’s perform the Ghoomar Dance in the circles and they are dressed in the traditional Ghaghra and choli with chunaris. They decorate them selves in traditional silver jewelry and glass bangles. The Ghoomar is performed during women's gatherings like the ceremony of haldi during a wedding, or to entertain a queen in her personal quarters, etc.

The popular Ghoomar Dance in Rajasthan India is the distinctive dance of the Bhil tribe. However, it is mainly linked with the royal ladies of Jaipur, who perform it on certain fortunate occasions. The Kachwaha Clan of Rajputs, who ruled Jaipur, defeated the Bhils and later agreed for a quiet coexistence. It is therefore usual that the royalty would accept some of the Bhil customs and practices. The Ghoomar dance is a essentially a women's dance performed by the women for completely ladies' assembly.

The Bhils were a type of war-like tribal race. At first they made the highways and roads a hazardous place for Jaipur's traders and masses. Whenever the Kachwaha has tried to discipline them, they simply disappeared into the corners of the Aravallis which have been their home for centuries. Realizing the uselessness of this exercise, the Kachhwahas claim for peace and exempted the Bhils were from paying tribute which was however, not a very big deal since the Bhils were most unlikely to pay. In any case, after this incident, the Kachhwahas accepted the Bhils as friends of the royalty.

The dances of Rajasthan are evidence of royal legends, religious traditions, and myths, while some dances other are performed with the simple idea of celebrating a particular festivity or fair.