- Navratri is celebrated to honor the none forms of mother Durga
- Dandiya raas performed with decorated bamboo sticks is also called ‘the sword dance’
- Health benefits of dandiya include improved heart health, mental alertness and muscle tone
Navratri is a Hindu festival celebrated to honor the nine forms of the goddess Durga. Navratri means nine nights and this festival is celebrated for nine nights. Navratri involves worshiping goddess and other activities like cultural events, dancing, fasting and feasting (1✔ ✔Trusted Source
Dancing To The Tunes Of Devi – Navratri 2024
).
Garbha and Dandiya dance are two dance forms belonging to Gujarat, India. These two energetic dance forms are performed during nine nights of the festival. Dandiya is performed with bamboo sticks and garbha involves movement of hands and feet with an earthen pot.
These nine days give us a chance to purify our mind, body and soul which gives us a new start.
Dandiya – The Sword Dance
Dandiya dance has become a cultural phenomenon across India and worldwide.
Dandiya is performed using vibrantly decorated bamboo sticks (dandiyas). The bamboo sticks are struck while dancing in pairs. This dance represents goddess Durga killing the buffalo-headed demon king Mahishasura.
The dandiyas represent Mother Durga’s sword and it is called ‘the sword dance’. Dancers move in circles with one circle moving in a clockwise direction and an anticlockwise direction. The percussion instruments such as dholaka and tabla are used.
Health Benefits of Performing Dandiya
Navratri is a season of fasting, feasting and worshiping. Along with spiritual benefits, the physical body also gains strength.
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Heart Health
Dandiya acts as a cardio workout with its fast-paced dance movements. The constant movement of arm striking dandiyas burns calories, increases heart rate and stamina.
Weight Management
Dandiya with its dance moves helps to shed extra pounds. An hour-long dandiya can burn upto 100 to 500 calories based on individual height and weight. It is similar to aerobic exercises such as jogging and zumba.
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Toning of Muscles
Dandiya helps to tone body muscles. These dance moves act on specific muscles and tones them. The continuous striking of dandiyas helps to tone arm, chest and shoulder muscles and the twisting and turning dance moves work on core muscles. The leg work and crouching move acts on calf, thigh and glute muscles.
Better Coordination
Dandiya is an engaging dance form that requires mindfulness. Remembering the dance steps to correlate the dance moves to the music boost memory power and cognitive skills.
Increases Flexibility
The dance pattern helps in stretching various muscles of the body. These moves act on the joints and improve joint mobility. The dance moves involve most of body muscles which helps to loosen the stiff muscles and improve muscle flexibility.
Stress Buster
Dancing releases feel-good hormones (endorphins) that relieves stress, anxiety and depression. In addition to it, everyone wearing various colorful attire can help in soothing mind and helps to relax. The sweating and music helps people to relax and improves mental wellbeing.
Energy Booster
The cheerful music and environment of dandiya energizes the mind, body and soul. The dance patterns improve blood circulation and fights fatigue. Blood circulation to the brain and other parts of the body gives a fresh and energized feeling. Physical movement helps to beat lethargy and activates body muscles.
The real essence lies in the warmth and togetherness we feel when all gather around family and friends for nine days; a time filled with belongingness and joy.
Reference:
- Dancing To The Tunes Of Devi – Navratri 2024 – (https://www.artofliving.org/in-en/navratri/garba-and-dandiya-navratri)
Source-Medindia
