Culture of Bhiwani

Bhiwani is one of the leading places of Haryana which is comprised of conventional and modern culture. It is situated in the south western direction of the state, sharing borders with the state of Rajasthan.

In ancient times it used to be a unified area which has same culture and traditions across this region. Hence traditions and culture of Bhiwani are identical and pious with similarity to Rajasthani culture.

Haryanvi is the main language of Bhiwani which is quite comparable with Rajasthani. Caste system still prevails in some of the parts creating difference in the communities.

People of Bhiwani and their Attires

Men usually wear Kurta Pajama or Dhoti Kurta while women generally wear ghagra along with long blouse or shirt and chuni. Dressing sense in quite important in Bhiwani, as caste and class of people is recognized by the style of dressing up; especially this counts mainly for women. Rajputana, Ahir Brahmin, and Aggarwal women wear different design of attire and color combination for recognizing their background. This is the traditional clothing of Bhiwani, but due to modernization shirt & pant are becoming favorite dresses for men and salwar kameez for women. But the parda or pallu system is still prevailing in all parts of Bhiwani including city area.

People in Bhiwani are too much attracted towards the ornaments especially made of gold and silver. Ladies in Bhiwani wear different types of ornaments to show off their affluence and social status. During marriages, ladies are completely dressed up in colorful attires and fully covered with gold and silver jewelry. Marriages in Bhiwani are the auspicious events and people arrange exquisitely to make them special for couples as well as guests coming in.

Fairs and Festivals in Bhiwani

As said earlier, Bhiwani witness diversity of the culture. Its festivals are colorful and grand which are celebrated with joy. There is huge difference between the traditional practices performed by the rural areas and urban areas. Modern citizens of Bhiwani city are conventional but they are accepting new changes to make customs and traditions better for future generation. In fact, culture of traditions in inner areas of Bhiwani is still stiff and relates to older pattern. But some of the traditions which are continued by ancestors from ancient ages such as birth ceremonies, marriage ceremonies, cremations process, etc are still continued in all parts of Bhiwani.

Festivals are celebrated with utter enjoyment and hard sincerity. There are numbers of festivals and fairs that are celebrated throughout the year. Some of the prominent fair and festivals of Bhiwani are:

Baba Shami Dayal Fair:

Baba Shami Dayal was the famous saint of Bhiwani and his Samadhi is laid down in Charkhi Dadri of this district. A huge fair of eight days is organized in the samadhi sthal of this popular saint every year during August and September. People from the entire district come here to pay their devotion at Baba Shami Dayal Burial.

Baisakhi Festival:

Baisakhi festival is celebrated with lots of enjoyment and happiness along with entire community of Bhiwani. Baisakhi is celebrated for the cultivation of new crops in the farm land. It is one of the prime festivals of Sikh community which are found in large numbers in Bhiwani. People of Bhiwani are passionate to celebrate this festival on larger scale by taking out procession, free langars, and cultural programs.

Basoda Festival

Basoda festival is celebrated during March and April months. In that people of Bhiwani cook all food items a day before it and on that day eat stale food for complete daytime.

Teej Festival

Teej Festival is celebrated during the month of August or September. It is one of the prime festivals in Bhiwani celebrated by young unmarried and married women. It is celebrated to impress the Goddess Parvati for getting good husband and superior married life. During this festivity, young girls and married women are dressed in colorful outfits along with glittering jewelry to appear beautiful. In Teej festivals ladies gathers and perform various folk songs and dance for entertainment.

Gangore Festival

Gangore festival is another important fiesta for women in Bhiwani. It is celebrated in the month of April dedicating to Goddess Gauri or Parvati. Ladies in Bhiwani prepare idols of Gangore and Isharji and dress them with fine fabrics and decorate beautifully. It is celebrated for sixteen days and during this period young girls and newly married women perform various folk song and dances to increase aura of celebration. Unmarried women worship Goddess Gauri for own choice of husband while married women prays for long life of their husband.

Lohri Festival

Lohri festival is one of the magnificent carnivals of Sikh community. It is celebrated a day before Makar Sankranti in the city of Bhiwani as well as all over India. In Lohri people congregate at community centers and lit up bonfire in the center place. People of all communities make big circle around that fire and perform on various folk songs and enjoy different styles of music. It is one of the most happening festivals of India and Bhiwani celebrate it with intense joy and happiness.

Gugga Navmi

Gugga Navmi is one of the sacred festivals of Bhiwani celebrated by both Hindu and Muslim communities. It is celebrated on high scale in the city of Bhiwani where people take out the processions along with people dressed in colorful clothes and dancing on various themes. Locals also sing folk songs to impress the Gugga idol.

Janmastami Festival

Janmashtami is a festival which is popular across India. Bhiwani is also not left behind while celebrating this festival of Birth of Lord Krishna.

On this very day Lord Krishna took birth at Mathura. Lord Krishna was the incarnation of Lord Vishnu who appeared to kill the devil Kansa.

People of Bhiwani celebrate this fiesta with lot of enthusiasm by performing various activities like Rasleela, Dance ceremonies, and etc.

Holi Festival

Holi is the main festival of Hinduism and people of all communities celebrate it with lot of rejoice. In Bhiwani it is celebrated as Dulandi Holi, along with Gulal and other colors. Holi is celebrated to spread harmony in the people along with fun and frolic activity to increase the enthusiasm of residents. There is the culture of breaking pots in the streets of Bhiwani.

Navratra Festival

Navratra festival is a festival dedicated to Goddess Durga. It is celebrated with lots of adoration and adulation by the people of Bhiwani. This festival last for nine days and devotees celebrates in various ways to pay their devotion. Many residents do fast for these nine days and offer food on ninth day to the nine girl child. A huge festival is organized at Devsar Dham dedicating to the Goddess Durga in the temple.

Dussera Festival in Bhiwani

The grand festival of Dussera is also celebrated in the region of Bhiwani. It arrives just twenty days before Diwali and instantly after the Navratras which are another grand occasions for Hinduism. Men and women wear colorful dresses and prepare lots of cuisines to increase the sumptuousness of the occasion. During this festival people takes blessing from elders and visit each other to increase harmony in the family. This festivity is associated with Ramayan epic and it is celebrated due to victory of Lord Rama on the devil Ravana. Hence, in Bhiwani at numerous place idols of Ravana (made of inflammable products) are erected and on the evening it is put on fire displaying the replica of victory.

Dance and Music in Bhiwani

Bhiwani is rich cultural heritage city of India which is having its unique identity. Bhiwani being situated in the soil of desert, it has many folk music and dances rooted in the city. From ancient times people of Bhiwani are allured toward their religious dance and music for entertainment when there was no other source of pursuit. Music and dance are imperative part of their festive celebrations.

Music in Bhiwani

Bhiwani is traditional city which has rich history of folk music. The place and its people are so dedicated to this form of art, that they have named many villages on the name of Ragas. In the region of Dadri, numerous villages found on the name of Bilawala, Todi, Jaishri, Nandyam, Gopi Kalyana, Bhairavi, and Hindola, which are the renowned ragas of music.

Basically music in Bhiwani is classified into two parts i.e. classical and Country side. In Classical form of music, the artists are maneuvered over the classical music and they perform on songs which were discovered in ancient ages. Country side music groups usually chant the narration of ancient and legendary stories along with ceremonial songs, ballads, and seasonal songs.

This music in Bhiwani is popular due to Jogis and Saangis. These sages roam in the interior parts of district to spread the folk music among the residents of Bhiwani. They used to keep Sarangi, Iktara, or Dotara musical instruments to make melody of music along with folk songs to attract audience for them.

Dance in Bhiwani

Bhiwani is popular for its folk dances which are specially designed and prepared for celebrating various achievements in past history and festivals as well as carnivals. Locals of Bhiwani enjoy their every celebration along with folk music and beautifully choreographed dances. Every occasion in Bhiwani has special dance form which is performed by local ladies for the entertainment purpose.

Some of the prominent dances of Bhiwani are:

• Phag Dance/ Phagun Dance
• Daph Dance
• Rasleela
• Dhamal Dance
• Loor Dance
• Gugga Dance
• Sapela Dance
  
  

Food in Bhiwani

Bhiwani is one of the important traditional and cultural cities of Haryana. The major diet of people living here consists of food grains such as bajra and wheat. People living in Bhiwani are fond of different varieties of Roti. Roti and dal are the main course for every day meal in Bhiwani. Alongside, they prefer to use milk as main source of fats, hence they include Yogurt (Dahi), Curd (Chhach), Lassi, Plain Milk, and milk by- products in their main course.


Apart from daily food, Haryanvi people offer lavishing and delicious cuisines of Bhiwani during celebrations. They usually proffer Sabat Alloo, Khoya Bhaji, Masaledar Karele, Saag, Rajma, Sukhi Chana Dal, Dahi Bhalle, along with mouthwatering deserts such as Doodhi Halwa, Badam ka Halwa, Pinni, Kheer and similar delicious cuisines. Apart from these cuisines, people here are fond of homemade beverages like lassi, Chhach, Thandai, Badam Sharbat, etc.