Rauf or Rouf is a traditional, folk dance form of Jammu and Kashmir. This dance form originated in the Muslim Community of Kashmir and later adopted by everyone. Rauf is primarily performed during the harvesting season of spring. Farmers, women and children celebrate this season with dance and music.
During spring the Kashmir valleys will be filled with colourful flowers and people celebrate the arrival of spring by gatherin together and performing the Rauf dance. The dancers wear Salwar Kameez covered with an embroidered Pheran. They also wear a head scarf known as Kasaab or Daejj and silver jewelry for added beauty. Women form two chains of dancers facing each other.
Traditional instruments like Rabab are played in the background and as the music starts the dancers start swinging forward and backward gracefully. The two rows of dancers interact while dancing and enjoy the rhythmic music.
Rauf dance is now performed for almost every occasion like Ramadan and Eid which depicts the queen bee’s love story as she takes her Nupital Flight. It is a female-only dance form.
Picture used for illustration only – Credit: Kashmir Online
