Dandiya - Classical Dance Of Gujarat

Dandiya is a very simple dance and is performed by a group who move in circles to measure steps, marking time by sticks called dandia.Dandiya are the featured dances of Navratri evenings in Gujarat.

The sticks of the dance represent the sword of Durga. Women normally perform it in a graceful and rhythmic manner in a circle as they rotate around the 'mandvi'.

The women wear traditional dresses such as colorful embroidered choli, ghagra and bandhani dupattas dazzling with mirror work and heavy jewellery.

Dandiya from the last few years it became one of the most popular dances of india and it has been enjoyed a lot in nearby cities of gujarat such as udaipur, jaipur , indore etc.

The Dandiya Raas dance originated as devotional Garba dances, which were performed in Goddess Durga’s honor. This dance form is actually the staging of a mock-fight between Goddess Durga and Mahishasura, the mighty demon-king. This dance is also nicknamed ‘The Sword Dance’. The sticks of the dance represent the sword of Goddess Durga.

The origin of these dances can be traced back to the life of Lord Krishna.[1] Today, Raas is not only an important part of Navaratri in Gujarat but extends itself to other festivals related to harvest and crops as well.