Sunday, November 24, 2024
Haryana

Arts


Folk Dances

Loor

Loor is a well known dance of Haryana. It is performed around the Holi festival and is very popular in the Bangar and Bagar parts of the region. In the Dadri area the term Loor is used for a girl. The participants in this dance are all girls. The dancers stand in two rows facing each other, in the form of a semi circle. One party starts a song. The burden of the song being 

"Your bahu has given birth to a daughter and a son is born on this side, why not marry the two".

 The dance starts with this song. For quite a while they discuss this problem. Finally the proposal is accepted. The next topic is about the presents to be given by the parents of the son to the girl at the time of marriage.

Marriage itself is performed through the dance. The girl has reached her sasural or in-laws place. There will be full of sentiment. She mourns in song and dance. The husband is away in the army and not expected back for another twelve years. The unhappy girl addresses an imaginary pigeon and through a song she persuades the pigeon to convey her message to her husband. She continues her song and dance till the pigeon returns and sits on her shoulder. The pigeon informs her that her husband is coming home soon. With this message her joy know no bounds. The rhythm and tempo of her song now increase. Her companions who have come to congratulate her, circle around her and take the dance to its climax.