The sangeet

What it is

The older form is the ladies' sangeet. Women of the family and the neighbourhood sit together with a dholki, a small two-headed drum, and sing wedding songs. Some are blessings. Many are jokes at the expense of the groom, the in-laws or marriage itself. Women get up in turn to dance, often the Punjabi giddha, which is danced to sung couplets and handclaps. The mood is private and free, with few or no men in the room.

Where it comes from

Singing by women before a wedding is found across North India and Pakistan under different names, and the songs pass from mothers to daughters. The staged sangeet is a recent growth. From the 1990s, Hindi films showed lavish wedding song sequences, and families began to copy them. The event grew to include men, a stage, a sound system and a host. Communities in the south and east of India who had no such custom have widely adopted it.

How it works

Today each side of the family prepares acts. Cousins, friends, parents and even grandparents rehearse for weeks, often with a hired choreographer, and dance to medleys of film songs. The couple usually perform too. Acts are short, and enthusiasm counts for more than polish. Folk dances still appear according to region: bhangra and giddha from Punjab, garba from Gujarat, ghoomar from Rajasthan. When the performances end, the floor opens and everyone dances late into the night.

If you go

1. If you are asked to join a group dance, say yes. Rehearsals are part of the fun.
2. Wear bright festive clothes you can move in.
3. Cheer loudly for every act, especially the older relatives.
4. Join the open dancing at the end. Copy the people around you.

Good manners

• Do not outshine the couple or the family with a long solo.
• Teasing songs are affectionate. Take them in that spirit.
• Ask the hosts before posting videos of family performances.

What is danced

BhangraA high-energy circle dance from Punjab, led by the beat of the dhol drumGiddhaA Punjabi women's folk dance in a singing, clapping circleGarbaA circle dance from Gujarat performed around a clay pot during the Navratri festival.Dandiya RaasA stick dance from Gujarat, performed in pairs during NavaratriGhoomarA circle dance of twirling women, performed at weddings and festivals in Rajasthan

Sources and further reading