Lambadi (Banjara) Dance

Understand

Where Lambadi (Banjara) Dance comes from

The Lambadi (or Banjara) folk-dance is the celebration tradition of the nomadic Lambadi / Banjara community of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The Lambadi-Banjaras are a trans-regional Adivasi community historically dispersed across the central and western Indian states (Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka, AP and Telangana), with strong communities in the Anantapur-Kurnool-Khammam-Warangal districts of the Telugu-speaking belt. The Lambadi dance is performed at the marriages of the community and at the Devali-Holi cycle of celebration, with the dance tradition preserved as a community-identity form. The dance is characterised by vigorous leaps and the swaying of the ghagri-skirt in spinning movement, accompanied by the ghungroo (the ankle bells).

How it's practiced

Lambadi / Banjara dance is performed by men and women of the community in a circle, with the women in the foreground leading the movement and the men dancing in support. The dance is characterised by vigorous leaps and spinning, with the women's ghagri (the heavily-embroidered flowing skirt) flaring as they turn. The accompanying instruments are the dhol and the ghungroo (the ankle bells worn by the women), with the brass shehnai for the largest performances. Costume is the distinctive Lambadi colourful dress — the women's bright embroidered sari and the heavy silver jewellery and the ghagri with mirror-work, and the men's dhoti-kurta with the colourful regional turban. Performances are held at the marriage of the Lambadi community and at the village cultural celebrations.