Ghungroo: The Sound of Indian Culture

Ghungroo – The Sound of Yore

GHUNGROO, also known as ghungru or ankle bells are one of the many small metallic bells strung together and is tied around the ankles of the feet of classical Indian musical dancers. They are regarded with great respect and are considered to be an inseparable part of the classical dancing tradition for many forms of dances like Kathak, Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, etc. These small metallic bells made of brass with a smaller metallic ball inside each one of them strung together and fixed on a cotton or velvet strap to form a musical anklet so that the dancers can easily wear them on their ankles. The sounds of ghungroos may vary greatly in pitch depending on the metallic composition and size. A ghungroos anklet can range from 50 to 200 bells knotted together. While the feet celebrate the woman’s work ethic regarding her art, the eyes get transfixed on the ghungroos immediately, telling a poignant story to the audience. Indian classical dances emphasize a lot on the footwork, ghungroos are used to highlight and match the rhythmic aspect of the dance the sound from the ankle bell also keeps the dancer in tune to the music and stays in rhythm, giving more life to the dance and simply adds to the grandeur. Mostly used in folk dances, they help in emphasizing the complex footwork attempted by the dancers. During the dance, their sound leaves you spellbound. Many classical dances tend to use difficult leg movements to highlight the dancing skills of the individual. However, all this will just go unnoticed if there is nothing to accentuate these movements and that is the exact purpose why the practice of using ankle bells while dancing came into presence. These small brass bells sound and weight differently based on its composition and size. They not only add grace to the dance but also adds layers to the music. It takes a good amount of practice to carry off a heavy set of ghungroos while performing complicated dance forms, a novice child dancer may start with 50 and gradually add more as the dancer gets more experienced and advances their technical abilities. The sound produced by this musical accessory may vary depending upon the metallic component and size. Today the custom of wearing ankle bells has become prevalent in many dances such as the belly dance and most Indian classical dances and is followed as a tradition by many Indian classical dancers, there is a definite reason behind why this practice came into existence. Ghungroos symbolize a deep connection between the dancer and the dance, perhaps that relationship is a result of the time and effort that put in by every dancer.