Folk Dances

GARBI
Garbi is a form of Garba. The main difference between Garbi and Garbo is that mostly women participate in Garbo whereas Garbi is sung by men only, with vigour and gusto. Circular movements with mainly actions of speed and grace are the main attractions. The noted poet Zaverchand Meghani has mentioned that around Garbi (Wooden Mandavdi) men ing and dance rythmically in measured steps.
Dandiya, Dhol, Nargha and manjira are used in Garbi.
It is mostly held on religious festivals such as Janmashtami etc. Garbi is one kind of Raas, and its songs have force and rhythm also e.g.]

TIPPANI NRITYA
This dance belongs to koli women of Chorwad region of saurashtra. Tippani was an equipment having square wood or iron piece “Garbo” (block) at me end of a long stick which was used for beating and pressing lime into the foundation of a floor or house under construction in older times. This Tippani was used by the women for the purpose of removing tedium of toil of this ardous job. They entighten their toil through this rythmic musical process.
Each woman would have a Tippani and would dance in two rows opposite to each other and would sing. Musical instruments like Zanz, Manjira, Dhol and Shenai are used to control the Hempo and pace of the movements.
This dance has rhythm varying from five to six upto fifteen to twenty. A special characteristic of the dance is the vigourous swiftness and rythnic cadence of footsteps and Tippani steppings. The invention of cement and tiles has diminished the use of Tippani but this dance form is still vogue and musch admired on the stage.

HUDO
Hudo is a folk game of people of Saurashtra played by men and women at Tarnetar and other fairs. The young men and women try to match their guts and strength with each other. Whole playing Hudo they sing songs of love.

DHOLI NRITYA
Originally the drummer who hailed from the scheduled Caste of Bhangi had the sole monopoly to play the drum on marriage occasions in a village.
The Dhol Players of Chorwad turned this into an organised form of folk dance. There are three players in which the middle player dances with the drum and the other two supply the rythmic beats in all variations. The rhythm changes from a slow tempo to a faster me and what three of them dance together the drums produce a thanderous rhythm. The stick is tied with which they nimbly tone the movement of the feet with which they keep time. The audience is held spellbound by sheer tempo, rythmic roar of the drums and fast footwork.

MANJIRA NRITYA
Manjira Nritya is a peculiar type of folk dance of Padhaar community of Bhalnalkantha region. They entice us with heart rending display of Raas played along with jingling music of Manjira with precision and skill.
In this dance,padhaars sit in circular positin with legs stretched. Musical instruments like Ektaro, Tabla, players give "Tal" to other instruments. Dancers continue playing with Manjira with varieties of actions and modes by getting up, sitting, standing, turning, taking fudadi and playing manjira with feet fingers by raising legs vertically.
In Saurashtra, Bhajanika have mastery over the art of playing manjira. They play manjira while singing Bhajans and get absorbed in singing.
In Rajasthan this type of dance is known as “Tera Tal”. Here, four to five women sit with streched legs, tie thirteen manjira right from toe to feet fingers upto arms covering all limbs and play manjira and dance with tal and rhythm.