Dhamal

Understand

Where Dhamal comes from

Dhamal is the men's folk-dance tradition of Haryana performed with the heavy dhamal drum (a large two-headed drum slung from the neck). The dance is associated with the rural Jat men of the state — particularly the villages of the Narnaul-Rewari region and the Mewat — and is performed at weddings, at Holi and at the village melas. The dhamal dance has been documented as one of the principal folk-arts of the state by the Haryana Cultural Affairs Board. The form is closely related to the drum-dances of the wider north Indian peasant-culture (the Rajasthani Dhol, the Punjabi Dhol and the western UP Dhamal) and is performed with full-bodied male crowd-participation.

How it's practiced

Dhamal is performed by a troupe of men (typically 4-10) who beat the dhamal drums (slung from the neck with the strap across the shoulders), striking them with curved sticks in heavy rhythms. The dancers move vigorously in time to the beat, performing jumps, kicks, and the characteristic dip of the drum. The accompanying rhythm of the dhol and the brass shehnai gives the dance its character. Costume is the simple rural Jat dress — the dhoti, the bright kurta and the colourful pagri (turban). The dance is performed in the courtyard or village ground, with the men occasionally being joined by the women of the family for the slow clapping accompaniment. Dhamal performances run for hours through the Holi afternoon and the wedding eve.