"Folk Dances of Pakistan: A Region by Region Guide"

The best-known folk dances of Pakistan are bhangra, luddi, jhumar and sammi in Punjab; ho jamalo in Sindh; attan and the sword-wielding Khattak dance among the Pashtuns; chaap and lewa in Balochistan; and the drum-led dances of Gilgit-Baltistan and the Kalash valleys. Across Punjab and Sindh, the Sufi dhamaal is danced at shrines every week. You can see most of them at the Lok Mela in Islamabad each November, at the provincial culture days, at shrines, and best of all at a wedding.

This guide goes region by region, describes what each dance looks like and when it is danced, and says where a visitor has a realistic chance of seeing it.

What are the folk dances of Punjab?

Punjab has the largest family of dances, most of them tied to harvest and weddings.

• Bhangra. The energetic men's dance, with raised arms, shoulder shakes and jumps to the dhol. It began among Punjabi farmers at harvest time and is linked to the spring festival of Vaisakhi. Wikipedia traces its origin to the Sialkot area.
• Luddi. A circle dance for men and women, with finger-clicking, clapping, jumps and half-turns. It is danced at weddings and to celebrate a sporting win. Noor Jehan's song "Luddi hay jamalo" is still sung at weddings.
• Jhumar. A slower, swaying circle dance, known as ghumbar in the Sandal Bar, the country between the Ravi and the Chenab. It is usually danced at weddings, to emotional songs. The name comes from a word meaning "to sway".
• Sammi. A traditional dance of the Sandal Bar and the Pothohar plateau.
• Giddha and kikli. Women's dances. In kikli, two girls hold hands and spin each other round in a circle, balancing as they turn. Giddha is the women's counterpart to bhangra.

The dhol drives most of these, often with the chimta. Our guide to traditional Pakistani instruments explains both. Punjab Culture Day, on 14 March, brings performances to the Alhamra Arts Council in Lahore; see our Punjab Culture Day guide.

What is the folk dance of Sindh?

Ho jamalo is the dance and song most associated with Sindh. It is sung in chorus, to hand-clapping as well as instruments, at victories and celebrations. One story traces it to the British period, when Jamalo, a prisoner in Sukkur under sentence of death, volunteered to test the new railway bridge by train. He survived the crossing, won his pardon, and the song "Ho Jamalo, wah wah Jamalo" was written for him. Another version credits a warrior named Jamal who drove invaders out of upper Sindh.

The best time to see it is Sindhi Culture Day, on the first Sunday of December, when people in ajrak and Sindhi topi gather for music, poetry and celebrations across the province. Our Sindhi Culture Day guide has the details.

What is dhamaal?

Dhamaal is a devotional trance dance at Sufi shrines, performed to heavy drumming. It is not a performance for an audience but an act of devotion, and visitors may watch.

• Sehwan Sharif. At the shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, the dhamaal is held every evening after sunset, to large drums and gongs, with separate areas for men and women. In February 2017 a suicide bomber killed 88 people during the dhamaal. The caretaker rang the shrine's bell the next morning, and dhamaal resumed that evening. See our Sehwan dhamaal timing guide.
• Shah Jamal, Lahore. Thursday nights of dhol and dhamaal, made famous by the drummer Pappu Sain. Our Shah Jamal guide explains how the night runs.

What are the Pashtun dances?

Attan is the national dance of the Pashtuns: a circle of dancers moving around the drummers, slowly at first and then faster and faster, with spins and head-tosses. There are regional styles, including Waziri and Mehsud attan. Our attan guide explains the differences and how to watch respectfully.

The Khattak dance belongs to the Khattak tribe, and it is the only Pashtun dance performed with swords. It is said to have been a war dance in the time of Khushal Khan Khattak in the 17th century. Dancers carry one to three swords, each weighing about 1.5 kg, along with handkerchiefs, and up to 40 men can dance at once, spinning at speed to drums and pipes. Its forms include bangrai, a circular warm-up; balbala, fast and without swords; and braghoni, the fastest, with three swords.

Pashtun Culture Day on 23 September is the main public occasion for attan. Our Pashtun Culture Day guide covers it. Peshawar is on the UK government's list of places to avoid entirely, so check local news and police advice first.

What are the folk dances of Balochistan?

The best-known Baloch dance is chaap, a circle dance with rhythmic clapping and footwork, performed to the suroz, the sorna pipe, the dohol drum and the tamburag. Lewa is the other well-known Baloch folk dance.

Baloch Culture Day on 2 March is when most people see them: there are public events in Balochistan and in Baloch neighbourhoods of Karachi. Our Baloch Culture Day guide explains where. The UK government advises against all travel to Balochistan, so for most visitors Karachi is the practical place to watch.

What dances are performed in Gilgit-Baltistan and the Kalash valleys?

In Gilgit-Baltistan, dancing is led by a folk trio: the dadang, a double-ended juniper-wood drum; the damal, a pair of small metal kettle drums; and the surnai, a reed pipe of apricot wood. Together they accompany most folk songs and dances. Each valley and language group, Shina, Burushaski, Wakhi and Balti, has its own steps. Festivals in spring and summer and weddings are where they come out. Our guide to Gilgit-Baltistan music and dance describes the main forms.

The Kalash of Chitral dance at each of their great festivals: Chilam Joshi at the end of spring in May, Uchal in late summer, and Chaumos around the winter solstice in December. Dances are also part of Kalash funerals, with drumming and singing for the dead. The UK government currently advises against all travel to the Kalash valleys and the N45 road from Mardan to Chitral, so read our Chilam Joshi guide and check advice before planning a visit.

Where can you see folk dances in Pakistan?

• Lok Mela, Islamabad. Ten days in November at Lok Virsa, with performers from every province. In 2025 it ran from 7 to 16 November; the 2026 dates had not been announced in early October. Our Lok Mela guide covers tickets and timings.
• Culture days. Baloch (2 March), Punjab (14 March), Pashtun (23 September) and Sindhi (first Sunday of December).
• Shrines. Shah Jamal on Thursday nights; Sehwan every evening.
• Festivals. The Cholistan Desert Rally each February near Derawar Fort includes camel dancing; see our camel dance guide.
• Weddings. The best place of all. A mehndi or baraat often has luddi, bhangra or attan, depending on the family, and guests are pulled in.

How should you watch, and can you join in?

• Ask before filming. Especially at women's dances, which are often private. At a wedding, follow what the family does.
• At shrines, don't treat dhamaal as a show. Stand where you are directed and keep your phone away from people in trance.
• Join in when invited. At weddings and culture days, guests are often pulled into the circle, and nobody minds clumsy steps.
• Follow the lead on mixing. Some dances are men only, some women only, and some mixed. The circle you are invited into is the one to join.

Which dance is worth seeking out?

For most travellers, the most memorable experience is dhamaal, either at Shah Jamal in Lahore on a Thursday night or at Sehwan at sunset. It is free, it happens every week, and it is unlike anything else in the country. For the regional dances, the Lok Mela in November is the most efficient choice: one site, every province, and family-friendly. If you are invited to a wedding, say yes. Our experiences page has more ideas.

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