Raas is emotion and feelings . Dandiya is a folk dance form and has its origin from the state of Gujarat and Rajasthan which is generally played during festivals such as Navarathri and Diwali and may ne best described as a socio religious folk dance with lot of emotion and feelings. The costumes used are Ghagra choli, Bandhani duppatta Turban etc.,
“Dandiya” or dancing of the feet is a Gujarat style. It is a very old Indian dance form. Dandiya is traditionally done by two partners both hands linked together, and Raas it’s old Sanskrit word for joy and happiness in one heart. Dandiya is also called “Raas”. It is rare that only a single couple performs this dance. Mostly this dance is performed in a group that makes it even more fun to watch or play.
Dandiya is divided into three parts. The first part is named as “Pizichil” or dancing of feet with accompaniment of drums in the background. The second part is called “Nasya” and consists of dance of arms, legs, and face with some percussion instruments like cymbals, flute, timbaland drum etc. The third part is the most important part of Dandiya known as “Sukkot”. It consists of dance of head, hands, feet, torso, and torso movements in sync with the rhythm of the drums or other musical instruments.
The traditional saksutram is played with an elongated stick called “Pinda”. Modern Dandiya is much faster and much quicker than the older version. A modern dance represents the true spirit of Indian music and culture and when the Dandiya performance and dance are combined with proper music it becomes a magnificent show! Dandiya is one of the most popular dance forms in Gujarat and India and its prevalence can be seen at almost all places of Gujarat where people celebrate festivals.