Ras Garba and Dandiya | Navratri Celebrations in Gujarat
In Gujarat, Navratri is a circle of ecstasy. While this festival is celebrated all over India with great religious fervor, for Gujaratis, it is much more than a religious celebration. It is their passion.
Garba dance performers in Gujarat. Their costumes are colorful and traditional and the steps are luscious and lively.
Navratri celebrations in Gujarat are quite different from those in other states. Here Navaratri is an occasion to forget one’s inhibitions and dance with abandon. Both men and women (young and old) perform the luscious Garba and Dandiya dances on all nine nights of Navratri. They gather in open spaces in rural and urban areas and dance to the tunes of traditional or modern Navratri songs.
Navaratri is a celebration of Mother Goddess and to indicate this, each community creates a small Goddess shrine at the beginning of the festival. This shrine is the focal point of the garba circle. This shrine includes an earthen pot which is called garbo (womb). A lamp is lit and kept inside the pot. This lamp inside the pot is the divinity that permeates the universe.
Garba and Dandiya performances are organized all over Gujarat. Each night the neighborhood gathers to offer a puja to one of the nine forms of the Goddesses celebrated by Navaratri.
Learn more about Navaratri celebrations in Bengal, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
The first three days of the festival are meant for the worship of Goddess Durga. Durga, an incarnation of Parvati, is the destroyer of all evils. The next three days are meant for the worship of Goddess Lakshmi. Lakshmi is the Goddess of wealth and prosperity. The last three days of the festival are meant for the worship of Goddess Saraswathi. Saraswathi is the Goddess of arts, learning and wisdom.
Women performing Garba dance on the occasion of Navratri. They twirl in circles to drumbeats and traditional songs.
The music begins after the puja. There is something irresistible about this music and people soon start dancing in a circle. The performances may last late into the night. The dandiya dance involves the use of sticks. While Lord Krishna was a young boy living in Vrindhavan, he used to play with his sweetheart Radha and her friends. They would sing and dance. The dandiya dance and songs have a strong association with Krishna. The songs often depict the emotions of Radha and her love for Krishna.
While the traditional steps are quite simple, they have become complicated over the years due to constant experimentation. The music has changed too. Now many performers use amplified sound systems. Vadodara is the best place to enjoy both traditional and modern versions of garba and dandiya.
Dandiya dance performance – Unlike Garba, Dandiya involves the use of sticks. Both dance forms are performed on the occasion of Navaratri.
Both men and women participate in a garba or dandiya performance. Besides being a traditional or spiritual practice, garba is a great way to discover the inner self. Navaratri is the time when even the most traditional and housebound women come out of their homes and dance their way to the divinity that resides in their own body. Women often abstain from certain foods during this time. They forget their inhibitions and dance into the night showcasing their skills and confidence. Songs often begin slow and pick up speed gradually sending the dancers into frenzy. Watching a garba performance or participating in it can be an awakening experience. A circle of dancers moving around a symbolic representation of the creative force behind the universe (garbo). Everyone performs the same steps and moves around in circles. Just like the universe, the garba circle has no beginning or end.
The 10th day of the festival Dashera (Dasara) or Vijayalakshmi is the most auspicious day of the year. On this day, people worship their vehicles and tools. Vijayadashami is a great day to buy new vehicles or launch new ventures.
Where to celebrate Navaratri in Gujarat
Where: All over Gujarat and parts of Maharashtra. Just step outside at night and follow the music.
When: On all nights of Navratri (October 2 to 10, 2016).
Vadodara, being the cultural capital of Gujarat, is the best place to enjoy the sights and sounds of Navratri. You should also consider visiting village garbas to enjoy the various styles.
Temples to visit during Navaratri
Navratri is a great occasion to undertake a pilgrimage to the Shakti Peethas (seats of Goddess Shakti). The most famous are the ones at Ambaji, Pavagadh and Bahuchraji near Mehsana.