6100 Women Turned Rajasthan’s 1st Ghoomar Festival Into a Moment Now Etched in Asia Book of Records

The sun had just begun to soften over Jaipur’s Central Park when women started arriving in clusters, dupattas (scarves) fluttering in the light breeze. Some came from nearby neighbourhoods; others had travelled for hours from districts across Rajasthan. 

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By late afternoon, the ground looked like a moving canvas of reds, pinks, greens, and gold — every step filled with anticipation.

This was Rajasthan’s first official Ghoomar Festival. For the first time, 6,100 women gathered to perform Ghoomar in a synchronised formation, earning a place in the Asia Book of Records. The number drew attention, but the atmosphere was what gave the moment its meaning.

What it took to bring 6,100 women together

For weeks, preparations had taken place in schools, colleges, village community halls and local cultural centres. Many women learnt the choreography in short gaps between housework, jobs, exams and childcare.

Young girls practised beside their mothers, while older women stood in circles correcting steps and teaching rhythms they had carried since childhood. By the time participants reached Jaipur, the moment felt like something they all owned.

When the music began, each circle moved with steady confidence. Skirts rose and fell in unison. The sound of ghungroos (ankle bells) formed a soft undercurrent beneath the more dominant drum beats. Volunteers stood at the edges guiding formations, as children watched from the sidelines, clapping every time the tempo rose.

Despite the scale, the event felt personal — each performer carried her own reason for being there.

Ghoomar has long been part of Rajasthan’s cultural fabric. Taught informally at home and performed at weddings, it has travelled across generations as a symbol of celebration. At this festival, the dance felt both familiar and renewed. Watching thousands of women move together showed how traditions endure when communities choose to keep them alive.

A record announced, a memory made

The announcement of the Asia Book of Records achievement was met with loud cheers. Many women held hands; others raised their arms in the air. The certificate felt like recognition not just of the final performance, but of weeks of preparation. It also signalled that Rajasthan had set a new benchmark for cultural participation at scale.

As the crowd dispersed, the park slowly returned to its usual rhythm. The lights dimmed, the music faded, and the colours thinned across the pathways. What remained was the memory of a day when thousands of women came together to celebrate something that has lived in Rajasthan for generations.