Sword dance, a popular dance of
Kullu District, is performed by both men and women. The men dancers wear a traditional tight white trousers and tunics with bright-bordered shawls and black plumed caps decorated with blue primulas and yellow jasmine. The women performers wrap woolen shawls around them and wear a colorful headgear called Dhatu.
The men and women form a circle, and as they move in round, the performers wave a handkerchief, which is in their right hand. Four dance steps are displayed first. There is a slight pause before the fifth and then three more dance steps are performed. After this, two or three dancers come into the center of the circle dancing with brandishing swords.
Among the musical instruments used in the performance are dholak, Ran Singha and Karnal.
