Fugdi is a

folk dance A folk dance is a dance that reflects the life of the people of a certain country or region. Not all ethnic dances are folk dances. For example, Ritual, ritual dances or dances of ritual origin are not considered to be folk dances. Ritual dances ...

performed by the womenfolk of some communities of Konkanies in the

Konkan The Konkan is a stretch of land by the western coast of India, bound by the river Daman Ganga at Damaon in the north, to Anjediva Island next to Karwar town in the south; with the Arabian Sea to the west and the Deccan plateau to the eas ...

coastal region of

Goa Goa (; ; ) is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is bound by the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north, and Karnataka to the ...

and

Maharashtra Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to th ...

states during the

Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

religious festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi and

Vrata Vrata is a Sanskrit word that means "vow, resolve, devotion", and refers to pious observances such as Fasting#Hinduism, fasting and pilgrimage (Tirtha (Hinduism), Tirtha) found in Indian religions such as Hinduism and Jainism. It is typically ...

or towards the end of other dances like Dhalo. According to certain historical facts, this dance style is said to have been created from few ancient Goan traditions. In addition, this dance is mainly performed during the Hindu month of Bhadrapada, when women usually take a break to escape boredom arising from their daily routines. Furthermore, it is also performed during religious and social events. In addition to being a dance form, fugdi is sometimes done as a competitive event (such as in the Chhattisgarhiya Olympics), in which case the participant who can last the longest while performing the fugdi dance wins. Fugdi Dancers from South Goa

Traditional roots

Fugdi is an art form that can be traced to the primeval cultural traditions of Maharashtra and Goa. It is performed during various religious and social occasions. Fugdi is generally performed during the month of Bhaadrapada, an occasion for the women to take a temporary break from their normal, monotonous schedule. A distinctive style of fugdi is found among the dhangar (shepherd community) women. The kalashi fugdi is performed before goddess Mahalaxkshmi during the vrata offered to that goddess.

Technique

The women sing and dance while enacting varied formations - in a circle or in rows. Usually women in the villages dance Fugdi in circles and women in forest settlements formulate rows. The dance starts with invocation to Hindu Gods. The pace is slow in the beginning, but soon attains a fast pace, reaching climax. No percussion support is provided. At the maximum pace, the dancers match the rhythm by blowing air through the mouth that sounds like "FOO". Hence the name Foogdi or Fugdi. A few fixed steps and hand gestures and hand laps are the major elements. No instrument or musical accompaniment is found with the dance, but special fugdi songs are innumerable.

Sub-forms

Girki, Cycle, Rahat, Zimma, Karvar, Bus Fugdi, Kombda, Ghuma, and Pakhwa are among the popular sub-forms. Kalashi Fugdi began as a means to break the monotony of the routine of fetching water from long distances. The women would dance their way out to the water-holes while blowing into the empty pitchers. Katti Fugdi is another popular form, performed with coconut shells in their hands.

References

{{Dance in India Indian folk dances Goan dances

Traditional roots

Technique

Sub-forms

See also

References