Giddha (Chandigarh-Punjabi)

Understand

Where Giddha (Chandigarh-Punjabi) comes from

Giddha is the women's folk-dance of the Punjabi community of Chandigarh, performed at the marriage cycle of the community and at the Lohri festival. The dance is associated with the social and the cultural life of the Punjabi women of the union territory and is performed at the central courtyard of the host. The form is regularly performed at the cultural programmes of the union territory and at the regional Punjabi community festivals of Chandigarh.

How it's practiced

Giddha is performed by women of the Punjabi community of Chandigarh in a circle at the central courtyard of the host or at the open ground of the festival. The women sing the boliyan (the short verse-form) of the Punjabi tradition and perform in coordinated clapping steps. The dance is gentle, with the small clapping rhythm of the Giddha tradition. Music is the dholak and the small cymbals of the regional ensemble. Costume is the colourful Punjabi salwar-kameez with the colourful dupatta, the heavy jewellery and the small regional phulkari-embroidered shawl. Performances are at the wedding cycle and at the cultural programmes of the union territory.