Fugdi is a Goan

Goa

Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...

 folk dance

Folk dance

The term folk dance describes dances that share some or all of the following attributes:*They are dances performed at social functions by people with little or no professional training, often to traditional music or music based on traditional music....

 performed by the women in the Konkan

Konkan

The Konkan also called the Konkan Coast or Karavali is a rugged section of the western coastline of India from Raigad to Mangalore...

 region during Hindu

Hindu

Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...

 religious festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi

Ganesh Chaturthi

Ganesh Chaturthi , also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi is the Hindu festival of Ganesha also called Vinayagar in Tamil Nadu, the son of Shiva and Parvati, who is believed to bestow his presence on earth for all his devotees in the duration of this festival...

 and Vrata

Vrata

In the context of Hinduism and Hindu mythology, the term vrata denotes a religious practice to carry out certain obligations with a view to achieve divine blessing for fulfillment of one or several desires. Etymologically, vrata, a Sanskrit word , means to vow or to promise...

 or towards the end of other dances like Dhalo

Dhalo

Dhalo is a popular folk dance form from Goa, India. The dance is performed by women and serves as a prayer of protection for their households. The songs on which this dance is performed are usually in Marathi or Konkani languages and are commonly religious or social in nature. It is conducted over...

.

Traditional Roots

Fugdi is an art form that can be traced to the primeval cultural traditions of Goa. It is performed during various religious and social occasions. Fugdi is generally performed during the month of Bhadrapada, an occasion for the women to take a temporary break from their normal, monotonous schedule.

Technique

The women sing and dance while enacting varied formations - in a circle or in rows. Usually women in the villages dance Fugdi in circles and women in forest settlements formulate rows. The dance starts with invocation to Hindu Gods. The pace is slow in the beginning, but soon attains a fast pace, reaching climax. No percussion support is provided. At the maximum pace, the dancers match the rhythm by blowing air through the mouth that sounds like "FOO". Hence the name Foogdi or Fugdi.

Sub-forms

Girki, Cycle, Rahat, Zimma, Karvar, Bus Fugdi, Kombda, Ghuma, and Pakhwa are among the popular sub-forms. Kalashi Fugdi began as a means to break the monotony of the routine of fetching water from long distances. The women would dance their way out to the water-holes while blowing into the empty pitchers. Katti Fugdi is another popular form, performed with coconut shells in their hands.