Dandi is a traditional dance form of the
Minicoy Island in
Lakshadweep. It is very similar to the
Kolkali dance performed all over
Kerala. The dance is performed to the music by a band of singers who stand a little distance away from the performing group. The song used in Dandi,
farihi, is a love story, a legend or an Islamic tale.
In the past, Dandi was connected with the Maulood festival and was performed before the village house. Each participant wore a white costume with red lining, a red or black scarf folded in a triangle, a white ribbon across the shoulders and a towel cap of red with white checks. The dancers held short painted wands wearing small anklets called gunguni. This dance is now almost extinct in Minicoy.
