ਲੁੱਡੀ

What does luddi mean in Punjabi? Luddi (ਲੁੱਡੀ) is a traditional folk dance of Punjab performed to celebrate victory. Dancers move in a circle, clicking their fingers and clapping, with jumps and half turns, most often at weddings and sports events where there is something to celebrate.

What is luddi in Punjabi?

Luddi is performed in circles by both men and women while clicking their fingers and clapping their hands, with jumps and half turns worked into the steps. It is performed at weddings and on sports occasions to celebrate victory, by men and women of all ages, and it is popular in both eastern Punjab in India and western Punjab in Pakistan. It can be danced in pairs or in groups, to the sound of the dhol and the shehnayi.

How is luddi recognised?

Older descriptions present luddi as a male victory dance and pick out one sign above all: the swaying movement of the head. The dancers place one hand at the back and the other in front of the face, and the body moves in a snake like way, so head movement becomes an important part of the dance. The costume described is simple: a loose shirt and a loincloth, with some dancers tying a turban, others wearing a patka across the forehead, and others joining in bareheaded. Today university and festival teams perform luddi in circles with both men and women taking part.

What is Luddi Hay Jamalo?

The best known song linked with the dance is Luddi hay jamalo, a famous song sung by Noor Jehan in the 1980s and often sung at weddings by women. Its place in the repertoire shows how closely luddi belongs to wedding celebration as well as to victory: the same dance that marks a win on the sports field is the dance families reach for when a wedding party wants to show its joy in public.