Male dancer takes Punjab giddha stage by storm
Noor Zora – born as Zorawar Sigh - is hugely popular despite being a man who dresses up as a female to perform the women-only folk dance
Zorawar Singh is a quiet person who could easily qualify as a quintessential introvert.
But the moment he slips into an exceptionally colourful attire and starts singing and dancing to the pulsating beat of drums, he transforms himself.
He becomes Noor Zora, and one of Punjab’s most famous giddha dancers.
Giddha is a popular folk dance in Punjab. Performed traditionally by women, it is as energetic and boisterous as bhangra. But it also is the epitome of feminine grace, elegance, and flexibility.
Zorawar, or for that Noor Zora, is unmatched when it comes to emoting giddha’s grace and charm.
“I become giddha myself,” Zorawar explained.
The life-changing beginning
He hails from Chari village in Fatehgarh Sahib district of Punjab and had always been drawn to the infectious magic of giddha. One reason could be that he always felt feminine from inside, and the dance performed by women gave him the wings to express his inner self.
“I have controlled and polished that femininity inside me and turned myself into an artiste of giddha,” Zarowar said.
It has been like this for some 20 years now when he first made his debut as a giddha dancer.
But for Zorawar’s innate dancing abilities, he remains a kind of novelty in the giddha firmament.
All around, people see me through their own lens. But then their labels never mattered to me and they still don’t
Men dressing up as women in dance performances is not entirely new.
Gotipua – an old dance form in Odisha – was routinely performed by boys dressed as girls, and one of its best-known exponents was the late Kelucharan Mohapatra, the famous Odissi guru.
The sweet taste of success
Yet, Zorawar has acquired substantial fame by performing giddha.
His Lok Rang troupe under the banner of Noor Art is much in demand at festive functions, with charges varying according to the duration and venue of the show.
His Facebook page – Lok Rang – that hosts photographs and videos of his recent performances have chalked up tens of thousands – 347k to be precise – followers.
His huge fan base means there is no dearth of bookings, and Zorawar and his troupe are busy travelling across Punjab putting up new shows.
It has been an eventful journey – first from Zorawar to Noor Zora, and then on to becoming a celebrated giddha performer. As a child, his sisters would often take him to functions with giddha performances. He invariably came back mesmerised.
Then, one of Zorawar’s friends got married, providing him with an opportunity to make his debut as a giddha dancer.
“We wanted to do something different at his wedding. We borrowed clothes and jewellery from village women and performed giddha for the first time. Everyone appreciated and we felt thrilled,” Zorawar recollected.
There has been no looking back since.
Challenges continue
However, acceptance as a man dancing as a giddha woman did not come easy. It is not easy even now.
“Some see me as a ‘nachar’ (trans person), while some see me as a drag performer,” he lamented.
But Zorawar carried on nevertheless. “All around, people see me through their own lens. But then their labels never mattered to me and they still don’t,” he added.
Despite the typecasting, the reputation of Noor Zora has spread over the years.
But why Noor Zora?
Well, according to Zorawar, the name Noor was borrowed from yesteryear’s famous actor-singer Noor Jehan, while Zora is a slightly altered adaptation from his own name Zorawar.
The name has stuck and now, his friends prefer to call him Noor. For the outside world, he is better known as Noor Zora.
What much of the outside world, however, is unaware of is that Zorawar is also a teacher at a government primary school. BEd in mathematics and Punjabi, he has also done his MPhil in folklore. He is currently pursuing his PhD.
Life, for him, has been hugely educative.
“I discovered myself and didn’t suppress myself. I am who I am,” he proudly proclaimed.
He has now set his sights on taking giddha to the international stage.
“That’s what I wish to achieve with my group now,” he said.
The lead image at the top shows Zorawar Singh getting ready for a performance (Photo by Sanskriti Talwar)
Sanskriti Talwar is an independent journalist who writes about gender, human rights and sustainability. She is Rural Media Fellow 2022 at Youth Hub, Village Square.
*The article was updated on 24.03.2023 following Zorawar Singh’s request not to specify the fee for his shows.
