ਮਲਵਈ ਗਿੱਧਾ

What does Malwai Giddha mean in Punjabi? Malwai Giddha (ਮਲਵਈ ਗਿੱਧਾ) is the folk dance of men from the Malwa region of Punjab. It began as a dance of older men, the babey, so it is also called Babeyan da Giddha, though younger men perform it today, singing boliyan as they dance.

What is Malwai Giddha in Punjab?

Malwai Giddha is the men's counterpart to the women's Giddha, and it comes from Malwa, the region south of the Sutlej. It is associated with the districts of Muktsar, Bathinda, Faridkot, Sangrur, Ferozpur, Mansa and Patiala, and teams perform it at village fairs, including the mela at Chhapaar. The heart of the performance is teasing: the dancers trade boliyan, short folk verses, at each other, with comical gestures, storytelling, mimicry and witty dialogue. The movements are playful and the footwork vigorous, and the humour is the point as much as the steps. It is performed at weddings, cultural festivals and rural fairs, where the audience is expected to laugh along and answer back.

What instruments are used in Malwai Giddha?

The instruments in Malwai Giddha are not merely for show. A performer has to play his instrument in rhythm while he dances, and he has to know not only how to play it but also how to carry it. The most commonly used instruments are the tumbi, chimta, kato and kartara, with the algoza also named in other accounts. A documented Malwai Giddha group from Chattha village in Sangrur lists a wider set still: chimta, sapp, iktara, tumbi, bugchu, sarangi, algoza, dhad, dhol and sticks among its fifteen or so members. The men wear turbans with kurta and chaadra, and a lead singer often starts a boli before the whole group joins in with instruments and dance.