Ghungroo

A pair of ghungroos

Kathak Danseuse Namrta Rai performing with 400 Ghungroos

A Ghungroo (Urdu: گھنگرو‎), ( Hindi:घुँघरू ), also known as Ghunghroo or Ghunghru or Ghungur (Bengali) or Salangai (Tamil) is one of many small metallic bells strung together to form Ghungroos, a musical anklet tied to the feet of classical Indian dancers.^[1] The sounds produced by Ghungroos vary greatly in pitch depending on their metallic composition and size. Ghungroos serve to accentuate the rhythmic aspects of the dance and allow complex footwork to be heard by the audience. They are worn immediately above the ankle, resting on the lateral malleolus and medial malleolus. A string of ghungroos can range from 50 to greater than 200 bells knotted together. A novice child dancer may start with 50 and slowly add more as he or she grows older and advances in his or her technical ability. Ghungroos or Salangais are worn in traditional performances of the classical Indian dance forms: Bharatnatyam, Kathak, Kuchipudi, and Odissi etc.

Ghunghroo Vadan

Ghunghroo Vadan evolved by V. Anuradha Singh, a renowned Indian classical kathak exponent.She developed bell as a main musical Instrument and perform in many pure music festivals where dance is not allowed.Ghunghroo vadan focuses solely on foot percussive art (100 minutes, non-stop in one place).

Appearances on film

Meena Kumari in Pakeezah wore ghungroo to perform her many mujras (classical dances). Madhubala in Mughal-E-Azam wore ghungroos in her song "Jab Pyar Kiya Toh Darna Kya"

See Also

Konguro'o

References

1. W. Hesse, Jr., Rayner (2007). Jewelrymaking Through History: An Encyclopedia. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 8. ISBN 0-313-33507-9.