Gidda (Delhi-Punjabi)

Understand

Where Gidda (Delhi-Punjabi) comes from

Gidda is the women's folk-dance of the Delhi-Punjab community, performed by the Punjabi women of Delhi at the wedding cycle of the community. The form is the cultural continuation of the Punjab Gidda tradition, with the boliyan (the short verse-form) and the boliyan-claps. The form is performed at the marriage cycle of the Punjabi community of Delhi and at the Holi and Lohri festivals of the city. Gidda is regularly performed at the cultural programmes of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Board and at the Spic Macay festivals.

How it's practiced

Gidda is performed by women of the Punjabi community in a circle at the courtyard of the wedding or at the central ground of the festival. The women sing the boliyan (the short verse-form) and clap in coordinated rhythm, with the small hand-gestures and the light claps of the Gidda tradition. Music is the dholak and the small cymbals, occasionally the dhol at the larger celebrations. Costume is the colourful Punjabi salwar-kameez with the colourful dupatta, the heavy silver jewellery and the small regional phulkari-embroidered shawl of the Punjab. Performances are at the wedding cycle and at the cultural programmes of the community.