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{{Short description|Folk dance form from Maharashtra, India}}
'''Lezim''' or '''lazium''' is a [[folk dance]] form, from the state of [[Maharashtra]] in [[India]].<ref name="gupta2002">{{Citation | title=Dances of India | author=Shobhna Gupta | year=2002 | publisher=Har-Anand Publications | isbn=81-241-0866-8 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7KeAES9dsUcC | quote=... Lezim is the most common folk dance associated with physical fitness tradition of the region. The pink lezim is a small frame to which metal discs are fixed ...}}</ref>

[[File:Lezim-dancers.jpg|thumb|Lezim dancers in formation]]

Sometimes also spelt as "'''Lezium'''", Lezim dancers carry a small [[musical instrument]] with jingling [[Cymbal|cymbals]] called the Lezim or lezium, after which the dance form is named. There are a minimum of 20 dancers in a traditional lezim. This dance is named after a wooden [[idiophone]] to which thin metal discs are fitted that produce a jingling sound and the dancers use this while classical dancing. [[Dholki]], a drum instrument, is used as the primary percussion music. It is performed dressed in colourful costumes.<ref name="rgshr2009rda">{{Citation | title=Folk Dances of Western India | access-date=2009-07-21 | publisher=Rangashree Dances | url=http://rangashree.org/indian-folk-dance-west.html | quote=... The Lezim dance is named for the instrument used in the dance. The lezim is made of a wooden stick, to which is strung a flexible loop with cymbals or pieces of metal that make a clashing sound ...}}</ref> The dance is frequently used as a fitness drill by schools in [[Maharashtra]], [[Militia|militias]] and other institutions because it involves many [[Calisthenics|calisthenic]] moves and can be quite strenuous.<ref name="vatsyayan1987">{{Citation | title=Traditions of Indian folk dance | author=Kapila Vatsyayan|author-link=Kapila Vatsyayan| year=1987 | publisher=Clarion Books | isbn=81-85120-22-6 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=I2K1AAAAIAAJ | quote=... part and parcel of physical education drill in all schools and colleges ... Lezim is as much a vigorous physical exercise and drill as a dance; the formations are in twos and fours and sometimes even a circle ...}}</ref>

Lezim is more of a vigorous physical exercise and drill than a dance; the formations can be in twos, fours and even in a circle. Historically, there were a few variations of the lezim practiced in the villages of Maharashtra and parts of [[Gujarat]], however these are rarely used today. One variation used a 2.5 feet long [[bamboo]] pole (''Reedh'') with an iron chain (''Dhanusyasarakhi''). This was used more as a form of exercise than dance, as the lezim was heavy. Such lezims were invariably hand made.<ref name="Agarkar">{{cite book|last1=Agarkar|first1=A.J.|title=FOLK-DANCE OF MAHARASHTRA|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.238330|date=1 January 1950|publisher=Rajabbau|location=Bombay, India|edition=1st}}</ref>

Another variation of the lezim (called ''Koyande'') used a wooden pole, 15 to 18 inches long, with both ends punctured and an iron linked chain weighing about 1 kg running through it. They also contained a 6 inches long hand chain (''salaisakhali''), through which the four fingers fit snugly.<ref name="Agarkar" />

The rural form of the dance usually consists of lezim dancers in two rows, repeating a sequence of steps, changing the steps every few beats. Thus, a 5-minute lezim performance can consist of 25 different steps danced in unison.<ref name="Agarkar" />

Other variations include dancing the lezim in four rows, in a single circle formation (''Nartakasamuhanni''), or in concentric circles formations (''samuhanrtyanta nartakam'') (similar to the [[Garba (dance)|garbha]] dance), with each dancer twirling and dancers of opposite rows often playing lezim with each other. Changes in steps are "announced" by a ring leader using a whistle.<ref name="Anna">{{cite book|last1=Schultz|first1=Anna|title=Singing a Hindu Nation: Marathi Devotional Performance and Nationalism|date=13 December 2012|publisher=Oxford university press|isbn=978-0199730834|edition=1st}}</ref>

Lezim is especially popular in rural Maharashtra, often played during the [[Ganesh festival]] (गणेशोत्सव), in village Jatras (religious processions) and in schools as part of the fitness regime.<ref name="Anna" />

There are three main types of Lezim - military lezim (popular in Baroda and mostly used as a martial art for defense), talathekya and samanyajananna. The first lezim performance to an international audience was presented at the ninth Asian Games (1982, Delhi) where 400 of the best Maharashtrian lezim players gave a demonstration .<ref name="Agarkar" />

The local names of the components of the Lezim dance are<ref name="Anna" /> -

#Lezim - approximately one-half inch of wood pole (todanna bandhaleli) and a chain called adakavalelya. Striking the chains causes a cymbal like sound
#halagi - a carmavadya
#drum - a narrow drum.
#cymbals - talasarakhe, but larger and with a musical pasarata mouth.

==See also==
* [[List of Indian folk dances]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKYs3fVe1Qc A Lezim performance (video)]
{{Dance in India}}
[[Category:Indian folk dances]]
[[Category:Culture of Maharashtra]]
[[Category:Folk dances of Maharashtra]]

Lezim - Revision history

imported>HTDCourtney at 23:20, 30 July 2025