Giddha, A truly colorful dance of punjabi womens
Women have a different but no less exuberant dance called gidda. The dancers enact verses called bolis, which represent folk poetry at its best. The subject matter of these bolis is wide ranging indeed – everything from arguments with the sister-in-law to political affairs figure in these lively songs. Aside from the drums, the rhythm of this dance is set by the distinctive hand-claps of the dancers Giddha is a very vigorous folk dance and like other such dances it is very much an affair of the legs. So quick is the movement of the feet in its faster parts that it is difficult for the spectator even to wink till the tempo falls again. The embroidered -duppattas- and heavy jewelry of the participants whose number is unrestricted further exaggerate the movements. The vitality of Bhangra can also be seen in the Giddha dance of the women of Punjab. This dance translates into gestures, bolian-verses of different length satirizing politics, the excesses committed by husbands, their sisters and mothers, loneliness of a young bride separated from her husband, evils of society or expressing guileless deep love.
The dance is derived from the ancient ring dance. One of the girls plays on the drum or -dholki- while others form a circle. Some times even the dholki is dispensed with. While moving in a circle, the girls raise their hands to the level of their shoulders and clap their hands in unison. Then they strike their palms against those of their neighbors. Rhythm is generally provided by clapping of hands.
Giddha is a very vigorous folk dance and like other such dances it is very much an affair of the legs. So quick is the movement of the feet in its faster parts that it is difficult for the spectator even to wink till the tempo falls again. The embroidered -duppattas- 
and heavy jewelry of the participants whose number is unrestricted further exaggerate the movements.
During the dance -giddha- songs called -bolis- are also sung. One participant generally sings the -bolis- and when the last but one line is reached, the tempo of the song rises and all start dancing. In this manner -bolis- alternate with the dance sequence which continue for a considerable period of time.
Mimicry is aso very popular in -Giddha-. One girl may play the aged bridegroom and another his young bride; or one may play a quarellsome sister in law and another a humble bride. In this way Giddha provides for all the best forum for giving vent to one-s emotions.
43 Comments post your comments !!
RSS feed for comments on this post · TrackBack URI
s said, January 23, 2007 @ 9:57 am
how to get tapes
s said, January 23, 2007 @ 9:58 am
how to get video
melissa said, February 4, 2007 @ 5:31 pm
ok i love the site because i was researching for my project but i wish you would tell about the history and little details on the dance like how long it takes to dance it but mostly the history
thanks
melissa
ali kamran said, February 12, 2007 @ 11:44 am
how 2 get dat video songs.plz i wanna 2 c dat lovely songs
lokai said, March 5, 2007 @ 9:02 am
i love this site which bring us closer.
jassi said, March 13, 2007 @ 9:27 am
hi how are we supposed to get boliyan?
sonia said, April 3, 2007 @ 1:53 am
our culture should be followed by all the girls now.
i love gidda done by the girls in punjab.
amandeep said, April 8, 2007 @ 3:16 am
punjabi functions r uncompleted without giddha.it gives shape to our happiness and i appriciate that site for its efforts in the way of introducing punjabi culture to the whole world
rajneet said, April 8, 2007 @ 9:09 pm
yeh…how do u get the boliya?
KGHJIH said, April 12, 2007 @ 10:16 am
i think that giddha is great and anybody would be lucky to have an opportunity to learn giddha!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kulwant Singh said, April 28, 2007 @ 1:04 am
i have liked this web wite because there is whole information of about Punjab . On this site have History, Culture and Social Information about the Punjab and I have collected knowledge and information about the Punjab
narpinder singh said, July 26, 2007 @ 9:14 am
i just wanna say that this site is doing gud business, helping alot to youngsters who all are not familar with their culture,i am just here for finding detalis for mine project.i found evrything ,but the thing i haven’t found is the history,dat not fair,i am from india ,i am in chandigarh.19 male ,mine phone no is 098154-34076
Sajid Gill (A True Punjabi) said, August 4, 2007 @ 1:45 am
You in your writings try to show Pubjab for Shiks only where as Punjab is of all who love humanity and the Truth.
BABY 4m Tanzania said, September 12, 2007 @ 1:12 pm
2 My punjab,SAT SRI AKAL. love u? hi may i knw how i get punjabi bolian ya pls wil u reply back 2 me thanx
Amandeep kaur said, October 17, 2007 @ 3:26 am
Hun sada culture sirf ek stage show ban ke reh gaya hai. Per loka de agge aun nal iss nu katam hon too bachya ja sakda hai.
sapna said, November 1, 2007 @ 2:05 am
i want 2 do some punjabi activities in Pune _MH, how u will help me ? my ph is 09822439289, plz contact. by.
happry said, November 4, 2007 @ 9:25 am
like this web site
kuldeep said, November 22, 2007 @ 4:36 am
Best website
ravinder said, November 28, 2007 @ 8:39 am
hi i liked the site. but things should be updated.
kavita said, December 10, 2007 @ 10:38 pm
oho punjabans very beautiful.
deepika said, December 10, 2007 @ 10:40 pm
i like boliyan very much nd i love punjabi dance.all punjabans are very cool.
Indira Bali said, March 1, 2008 @ 3:40 am
good site but more information and update needed. only surface information given.
dinesh girdharilal punjabi said, May 21, 2008 @ 9:20 pm
hi i am dinesh punjabi from nadiad in gujrat
pls send me bolya i like to all punjabi and my punjab.
manpreet gill said, May 22, 2008 @ 6:49 am
i love giddha.can you send me some boliyan please. i like punjabi culture.
sabnitsingh said, July 1, 2008 @ 5:33 pm
hey i love punjabi dance especially giddha…
Gurjeev Singh said, September 24, 2008 @ 1:12 pm
Can you please change the title from “Giddha, A truly colorful dance of punjabi womens” to “Giddha, A truly colorful dance of punjabi women”. Women is already plural. Thanks for a great article.
pink pawar said, September 24, 2008 @ 11:33 pm
giddha is the part of our Punjabi culture,plz tell me how can i get the famous punjabi boliyan
TM said, October 9, 2008 @ 9:56 pm
RASTE WOHI………GALIYAN WOHI………
LEKIN WOH BAAT AB HAI KAHAN……..!!!!!!
JISPE MEIN KABHI THI ZINDAGI………
SUNA PADA HAI AB WOH MUKAM………
KUCH LAMHE HUMSE ROOTH KAR……….
KHUSHIYAN GAMO MEIN TUT KAR……….
JANE KAHA………JANE KAHA…………BIKHAR GAYE………….!!!!!!
Muhammad Asif Mughal said, October 16, 2008 @ 5:41 pm
hi i am dinesh punjabi from nadiad in gujrat
pls send me bolya i like to all punjabi and my punjab.
pinky said, December 22, 2008 @ 3:48 am
hi i am pinky i like punjabi giddha punjabian di san vikhri
pinky said, December 22, 2008 @ 3:52 am
hi, my name is pinky can you send me punjabi sad sher i request for you .
thaks buy………
Tejbeer Singh said, February 11, 2009 @ 5:43 am
Pls send some popular boliyan for jaggo.
Mandeep Kaur said, February 18, 2009 @ 2:11 am
Pls send some popular boliyan for jaggo jaldi. plz. mere veera da viah hai te main chandi hain ki ki tusi menu latest ja koi vi vadhiya jehi bolian send kar deyo
Harpreet kaur said, April 26, 2009 @ 4:16 pm
i love giddha. can you send some biliyan pleace
Sarabjeet Kaur said, June 21, 2009 @ 9:07 am
Hi… very enthusiastic pictures, well punjabi folk dances are it self a way to cheer up and attract the other communities towards it’s culture, not only in india but also in foriegn countries it gained too popularity and love to explain. God bless our culture.
rana ulfat pardesi said, July 14, 2009 @ 12:58 am
i love giddha . can you send some biliyan paleace
Gurpreet said, August 3, 2009 @ 2:05 pm
can u send me some punjabi boliya. Im in uk i don’t know any punjabi boli. it is my brothers wedding
KKB said, August 3, 2009 @ 2:09 pm
i want to refresh my memory. i forgot punjabi boliya, i used to sing in my childhood. i remember half-half boli, i have tried hard to recall but……….can u help me tell me boliya
Afzal Sumra said, August 16, 2009 @ 3:04 am
Aeh site sade saaray Pujabiyaan waaste Chngi smaj sewa he,
Ik nikki jahi kawish te dher saaray faedy
Keep it up — Chuk ke rakho
Soffia said, August 21, 2009 @ 12:09 am
How to get a tape of the punjabi gida
Soffia said, August 21, 2009 @ 12:09 am
can u send me boliya pleaseee
baljit soe majra said, August 22, 2009 @ 6:54 am
Hi I m baljit singh from Israel i like your web site.
rajinder kaur grewal said, September 8, 2009 @ 11:19 pm
punjabi culture di koi rees nahi kar sakda
punjabi kite vi rehan apni pashan bana hi lande han