India is diverse, and there are numerous languages, cultures, religions, climates, and art forms. Similarly, India has various types of folk dances to entertain the people.
These dance forms are magnificent and represent the cultural heritage of a particular place. Ghoomar and bhangra are also two such types of regional dance forms.
Key Takeaways
- Ghoomar is a traditional folk dance from the Indian state of Rajasthan, performed primarily by women during festive occasions and characterized by graceful, swirling movements and elaborate costumes. At the same time, Bhangra is a high-energy folk dance from the Punjab region of India and Pakistan, performed by men and accompanied by the beat of the dhol drum.
- Ghoomar and Bhangra have deep cultural and historical roots in their respective regions and have evolved to incorporate new influences and styles. Still, they differ in their origins, dance forms, and cultural significance.
- Ghoomar and Bhangra have gained international recognition and popularity through cultural exchanges and global events, showcasing the rich diversity and artistic heritage of Indian folk dance traditions.
Ghoomar vs Bhangra
The difference between Ghoomar and Bhangra is that Ghoomar is a folk dance of the Rajasthan region and is performed to please the goddess Sarasvati. On the other hand, Bhangra is a folk dance of the Punjab region to celebrate the vernal Vaisakhi festival. Both Ghoomar and Bhangra dance forms are very splendid and full of joy.
Ghoomar is a widely known cultural dance originating from Rajasthan, India’s state. It is a very Junoesque dance introduced by the Bhil tribe to please the goddess of knowledge, Sarasvati.
This dance form is basically about pirouetting and twirling in and out of a circle. The dance is performed by women wearing specific traditional dresses.
Bhangra is also a famous traditional dance form that originated in Punjab, another state in India.
Bhangra is a very energetic dance form that can lure anybody’s heart to join the performers.
This dance is generally performed in the harvesting season and is associated with the vernal Vaisakhi festival.
Bhangra is the dance of happiness, prosperity, strength, patriotism, and celebration.
Comparison Table
| Parameters Of Comparison | Ghoomar | Bhangra |
|---|---|---|
| States | Ghoomar is one of the Indian traditional folk dances that belongs to the state of Rajasthan. | Bhangra is also one of the Indian traditional folk dances that belong to the state of Punjab. |
| Introduced by | Ghoomar folk dance is known to be introduced by the Bhil tribe centuries ago. | Bhangra folk dance is known to be introduced by farmers of Punjab around the 14th or 15th century. |
| Costume | The signature costume worn by the performers of Ghoomar is traditional Ghaghara and choli. | The signature costume worn by the performers of Bhangra is Lungi, Tehmat, Pag, and Salwar Kameez. |
| Occasion | Ghoomar is generally performed in Nav-Ratri, Sarasvati Puja, and the newlywed bride arriving at her marital home. | People perform Bhangra at Vaisakhi, Lohri, and also weddings. |
| Performed by | Females generally perform Ghoomar, and they are required to wear a veil. | Males generally perform Bhangra, and they are required to wear a Pug. |
What is Ghoomar?
The folk dance, Ghoomar, was introduced by the Bhil tribe, associated with Rajasthan.
It is generally performed by females wearing Ghaghara and choli and a large veil to cover their faces.
Ghoomar was invented to offer gratitude to the goddess Sarasvati and became popularized. Local artists of Rajasthan still do it.
Other communities embrace this dance form and is still performed on several occasions. The word Ghoomar has been taken from the Hindi word ‘ghoomna,’ which means twirling.
Since Ghoomar is entirely about moving and twirling in a circular path and the woman wears ‘ghoonghat,’ it is called Ghoomar.
In Rajasthani culture, the newlywed bride performs Ghoomar when she first arrives in her marital home. The royal families of Rajasthan arrange Ghoomar.
Ghoomar is also done by professionals on festivals that can last for hours and be joined by family members. Ghoomar dance brings out the glorious fragrance of beautiful ancient heritage.
The first academy to preserve and promote the Ghoomar dance was established in 1986 by Rajmata Govardhan Kumari. She was the lady of the royal family and was popular as Rajmata Sa.
In 2007, she was awarded the highest civilian award in India, Padam Shree. When a person watches someone performing Ghoomar, he can visualize the eminence of Rajasthani culture.
What is Bhangra?
Bhangra is a beautiful and energetic folk dance of Punjab. It is mainly performed at weddings and festivals.
The area to have the first blueprints of Bhangra is known to be Sialkot, a province in Punjab.
This dance form is linked to the Vaisakhi festival and is generally performed by people in the season of harvesting.
The farmers of Punjab performed it, and its origin is found in the 14th or 15th century.
But it is so loved by people that people perform Bhangra at every happy occasion in the current time.
Bhangra includes hale and hearty leaps, kicks, and bends, and it is generally performed in groups.
This is one of the folk dances that is performed on folk music, and in the case of Bhangra, people like to have ‘boliyan’ or the music produced by ‘dhol,’ a typical Indian instrument that is basically a handheld drum.
Males initially performed Bhangra, but now women are also showing their interest in Bhangra.
Now, Bhangra is part of almost every major celebration in Punjab. The performers wear dresses of bold and bright colors representing joy.
The dresses worn by Bhangra dancers are generally loose because this dance form involves a lot of dynamic movements.
All-male performers are required to wear a turban, locally known as ‘pug,’ to represent the honour of the people of Punjab.
Main Differences Between Ghoomar and Bhangra
- Ghoomar is performed wearing Ghaghra and choli of any color. On the other hand, Bhangra is performed wearing salwar kameez by females, and Tehmat, Pag, and Lungi by males.
- Ghoomar includes movements like pirouetting and twirling around, forming a circle. On the other hand, Bhangra has moves like heavy kicks, leaps, and extreme bends of the body.
- Ghoomar is a more feminine kind of dance form and is generally performed by females. On the other hand, Bhangra is a masculine dance form and is basically performed by males.
- Ghoomar has initially been introduced to the world by a tribe known as Bhil or Bheel. On the other hand, Bhangra was introduced by farmers of Punjab.
- Ghoomar is a prevalent folk dance in India that comes from the Rajasthan. On the other hand, Bhangra is a well-known dance form in the Punjab region.
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Chara Yadav holds MBA in Finance. Her goal is to simplify finance-related topics. She has worked in finance for about 25 years. She has held multiple finance and banking classes for business schools and communities. Read more at her bio page.
