Gujarat

The colorful Dandiya Raas, a form of dance has its root from the time of Lord Krishna when he played Raas on the banks of River Yamuna, on a moonlight night with his favorite Gopis.
Men and women performing Dandiya wear colorful attire and dance as a pair in a concentric circle one move clockwise while the other in an anti-clockwise fashion. The two designed bamboo stick that they carry in their hand are referred as dandiya. Besides the movement, the creative use of dandiya is the most significant part of dancing.
The song sung in accompaniment to the dance has a distinct touch of sensuality as a pair moves and hits stick with each other, the eye contact is also another factor to pass messages in a discreet fashion. As the tradition says, romance blooms during the time of Navratri and it is on that time the Dandiya event takes place, which is quite popular among the younger generation.