The luddi dance is a lively Punjabi circle dance for men and women, full of finger-clicking, clapping, jumps and half-turns, danced at weddings and to celebrate a victory. Jhumar is its slow opposite: a swaying circle dance of central and southern Punjab, from the Sandal Bar around Faisalabad and Jhang down to the Saraiki country of Multan, Bahawalpur and Dera Ghazi Khan. You are most likely to see luddi at a Punjabi wedding, and jhumar at a wedding in the south or on Saraiki Culture Day, 6 March.
This guide explains how each dance works, where it comes from, the music behind it, and how to see it.
| At a glance | Luddi | Jhumar |
|---|---|---|
| Tempo | Fast, bouncy | Slow, swaying |
| Region | Across Punjab, both sides of the border | Sandal Bar, Chaj Doab, the Saraiki south, Balochistan |
| Who dances | Men and women, all ages | A circle of dancers |
| Music | Dhol and shehnai | Drum, with emotional folk songs |
| Occasions | Weddings, sports wins | Weddings, Saraiki Culture Day |
| Best day to see it | Punjab Culture Day, 14 March | Saraiki Culture Day, 6 March |
What is the luddi dance?
Luddi is one of the best-loved folk dances of Punjab, popular in both Pakistani and Indian Punjab. Dancers move in a circle, clicking their fingers and clapping, with jumps and half-turns. It can be danced in pairs or in a group, and by men and women of every age, which is why it turns up at almost every Punjabi celebration.
Its two great occasions are weddings and victories. Luddi is the dance of a team that has won, or of supporters celebrating a win, as much as of a mehndi night. It is less athletic than bhangra, which makes it easier for a guest to join.
How is luddi danced and what is its music?
Luddi is danced to the dhol and the shehnai, the reed pipe heard at weddings. The circle moves round, and the dancers keep time with snapping fingers and clapping hands, adding jumps and half-turns as the beat picks up.
The best-known luddi song in Pakistan is Luddi hay jamalo, sung by Noor Jehan in the 1980s and still sung by women at weddings. Staged bhangra often borrows luddi sequences, including the gham luddi, and the closely related sammi, a slow circle dance of the Sandal Bar and the Pothohar plateau, belongs to the same family.
What is jhumar?
Jhumar, also spelled jhoomar, takes its name from jhoom, "to sway", and that is what it does. It is slow and rhythmic, danced in a circle, usually at weddings, to emotional songs. Where bhangra shows off, jhumar is graceful and controlled.
Descriptions of the dance say its movements recreate the gaits of animals and birds, and the work of the farming year: ploughing the field, sowing the seed and bringing in the harvest. Its drum beat is often described as tribal, with 16 beats to a cycle.
Where does jhumar come from?
Jhumar is rooted in two regions of Pakistan.
- The Sandal Bar and Chaj Doab. The Sandal Bar is the old grazing country between the Ravi and the Chenab, around today's Faisalabad and Jhang; the Chaj Doab lies between the Chenab and the Jhelum. Here the dance is also called ghumbar, and it has been called the "jungle dance of the Jhang Sials".
- The Saraiki south and Balochistan. Jhumar is the traditional dance of the Saraiki-speaking areas of Punjab, around Multan, Bahawalpur and Dera Ghazi Khan, and it is also danced by the Baloch. Many sources describe it as a Saraiki and Baloch dance first.
The music comes from the Saraiki folk tradition, whose best-known voices include Ataullah Khan Esakhelvi and Shafaullah Rokhri. Our guide to the Saraiki language covers the region and its poetry.
Where can you see luddi and jhumar?
- Saraiki Culture Day, 6 March. Marked since 2014 across south Punjab. In Multan, people gather in blue Saraiki ajrak, and the programme at the Multan Arts Council has included jhoomar to the drum, alongside the camel or daachi dance and folk songs. This is the most reliable day to see jhumar.
- Punjab Culture Day, 14 March. The main programme in Lahore is at the Alhamra Arts Council, where luddi and bhangra have been part of the celebrations. Our Punjab Culture Day guide has more.
- Lok Mela, Islamabad. Ten days at Lok Virsa each November (7 to 16 November in 2025), with dance troupes from every province.
- Cholistan Desert Rally. The February rally around Bahawalpur and Derawar Fort includes cultural nights with folk music and dance; our guide to the camel race and camel dance in Cholistan covers that side of the event.
- Weddings. Luddi at any Punjabi mehndi; jhumar at weddings in the Saraiki belt and the Sandal Bar.
Can visitors join in?
At a wedding, yes. Luddi especially is a dance everyone joins, and if a circle opens for you, step in, copy the clapping and follow the turns. Jhumar is slower and more measured, so watch a round or two before you step in.
Follow the family's lead on whether men and women dance together, and ask before filming anyone, especially women dancing at a private event. At culture day programmes and the Lok Mela, the dances are staged, so you watch rather than join.
Luddi or jhumar: which will you see?
If you are in Lahore or central Punjab, it will be luddi, usually beside bhangra at a mehndi. If you are in Multan, Bahawalpur or Dera Ghazi Khan, jhumar is the dance of the region, and Saraiki Culture Day on 6 March is the one date to plan around.
Neither is worth a long trip on its own unless you are already going to a wedding or a culture day. Both are worth an evening if you are in the right place. For how they fit with bhangra, attan, Khattak and the dances of Sindh and Balochistan, see our guides to bhangra in Pakistan and the folk dances of Pakistan, and our experiences page for more cultural outings.
Frequently asked questions
What is the luddi dance?
A Punjabi folk dance performed in a circle by men and women, with finger-clicking, clapping, jumps and half-turns, danced at weddings and to celebrate victories.
What is the difference between luddi and jhumar?
Luddi is fast and bouncy and danced across Punjab; jhumar is slow and swaying, and belongs to the Sandal Bar and the Saraiki south.
Where does jhumar come from?
From the Sandal Bar and Chaj Doab of central Punjab and the Saraiki areas around Multan, Bahawalpur and Dera Ghazi Khan. It is also danced by the Baloch.
What does jhumar mean?
It comes from jhoom, meaning "to sway", which describes the slow, swaying movement of the dance.
Which song is famous for luddi?
Luddi hay jamalo, sung by Noor Jehan in the 1980s, is still sung by women at Punjabi weddings.
When is Saraiki Culture Day?
6 March each year. Jhumar is performed at the celebrations, including the programme at the Multan Arts Council.
