Ghoomar is a community dance typical to the areas bordering
Rajasthan and
Haryana. It is performed by the young women and girls on various occasions and festivals including
Holi, Gangore Puja and Teej.
Ghoomar is a very simple dance where the dancers move gently and gracefully in circles. They move about clapping and singing, while tempo of the dance is accelerated. The dance continues for hours into the night.
In Haryana, the songs rendered are high-pitched and rich in humor and satire, while in Rajasthan, Ghoomar is performed to the songs of valor and victory.
As one of the traditional rituals, a bride is expected to dance Ghoomar on being welcomed to her husband's home.
The word ‘Ghoomar’ is derived form ‘Ghoomna’, the graceful gyrating, which displays the spectacular colours of the flowing ‘ghaghra’, the long skirt of the Rajasthani women.
