.jpg) | |
| Instrument(s) | Singing and Sitar as well as Dhol |
|---|---|
| Origin | Gujarat, India |
| Garba of Gujarat | |
|---|---|
| Country | India |
| Reference | 01962 |
| Region | Asia and the Pacific |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 2023 (18th session) |
| List | Representative |
Garba is anIndian folk dance. It is a form ofcircle andsocial dance originating fromGujarat, and played across theIndian diaspora on festivals and other events.[1]
Garba is traditionally danced by women as part of the annual Hindu festival ofNavaratri (or "Nine Nights"), held in celebration of Amba Mata, or the primordial mother, an incarnation ofDurga. Garbas form part of Navaratri celebrations at fairs and feasts. Typically, at the end of each Navaratri night of dance, the community also playsdandiya raas, a sibling circle-dance form, in which players hold a stick in each hand and tap out a rhythm with a partner. Everyone is invited to join garba and raas, and people of all ages dance together. It is played around an earthen pot with holes on the sides, revealing a flame inside (a symbol of thejiva or soul inside the womb). Alternatively, a picture or statue of theHindu goddess Amba may be placed in the center of the circle. When there are large numbers of participants, they make concentric circles to form rings around the object of veneration.
The wordgarba comes from theSanskrit word (Sanskrit:गर्भ,romanized: Garbha) for "womb" and so implies gestation or pregnancy — life. Folk dances in Gujarat are frequently performed to mark the firstmenstrual cycle or are performed to mark amarriage.[2][3]
Modern garba is also heavily influenced byDandiya Raas, a dance traditionally performed by men. The merger of these two dances has formed the high-energy dance that is seen today.[4] Traditional garba music accompanying the dance involves thedhol anddholak (Indian drums),cymbals andshehnai (an Indian flute).[3]
The dance is a counterclockwisecircle dance, alternatively participants can form concentric circles moving in opposite directions. The dance gathers speed as it progresses. Its main aspect consists of encircling an image or symbolic representation (like a clay pot), representing theshakti of goddessDurga. Garba dances honour thenine forms of Durga during theNavaratri ("Nine Nights") festival and celebrates fertility and womanhood.[3]
Garba has spread beyond Gujarat all over India and among theIndian diaspora worldwide. For instance, garba is popular amongGujarati communities in the United Kingdom where there are a number of these communities hold their own garba nights. Garba competitions are now also organised bydance troupes in universities since the turn of the millenium.[3]
In December 2023,UNESCO recognized garba on the list of the world'sIntangible cultural heritage.[5][6]
