Tippani
AI-drafted · awaiting admin review
A work dance from the Chorwad area of Saurashtra in which women beat the floor with long wooden poles while they sing.
FolkWhere: Saurashtra, Gujarat (Chorwad, Junagadh district)Occasion: Festivals and celebrations; it grew out of the work of building floors
| Performed by | Groups of women |
|---|---|
| Costume | Traditional Kathiawadi dress of the women's communities, with heavy silver jewellery |
| Music and instruments | Work songs sung by the dancers, with dhol and shehnai or manjira |
How it is performed
- Each dancer holds a tippani, a long wooden pole with a block of wood or iron at the bottom.
- The women stand in two rows or a circle facing each other.
- They strike the ground with the tippani in rhythm while singing, turning and stepping together.
- The beat grows faster and more complex towards the end.
Significance
Women labourers once beat lime and pebbles into floors and terraces with these poles, and sang to keep rhythm and ease the hard work. The working movement became a dance.