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India Garba, a Circle of Shrinkhla Sahai (Project Coordinator, Sahapedia-An Open Encyclopedia on Indian Culture and Heritage)

Decorations for Navrātrī festival (Photo by Prahlad Gopakumar)

Woman in traditional attire performing garba (Photo by Prahlad Gopakumar) The dholi or drummer for garba (Photo by Prahlad Gopakumar)

hile the circle is a quantifiable and garbi on the head while performing. At the centre, a concrete geometrical shape, the representation of the Mother Goddess is also placed W abstract idea of the circle has many in the form of an idol or image. Its origin is believed different meanings, interpretations, and symbolic to be in the worship of goddess Jagdamba. While signi!cance in Indian philosophical systems. These on one hand, the circle symbolises the divine ideas have also culminated in varied manifestations feminine energy and fertility, it also signifies the of the concept into intangible cultural heritage. cyclical aspect of time. The circle of life, consisting Garba is a ritual dance form where the knowledge of birth, death, rebirth, and so on, is symbolised and belief systems regarding the circle find by the rhythmic movements of the dancers. In the choreographic expression. It is a social-community midst of this time cycle is the constant, unchanging The garbi or lamp (Photo by Prahlad Gopakumar) dance performed primarily by women in the and absolute energy of the Goddess. Another region in India. Performed during the nine- important aspect of this community dance is that day Hindu festival of Navrātrī, the dance is primarily it is participatory and inclusive by nature. There is The dance usually starts with one dancer a celebration of feminine energy and an offering no di$erentiation between dancers and spectators, leading the group and others follow into the circle to the feminine divinity. It is also performed during and people who are watching the dance soon join formation and start revolving around the deity the celebration of Sivaratri, on the occasion of in, and the circles continuously expand. with synchronised clapping movements. The weddings, and in certain pregnancy rites. stamping movement of the feet is coordinated Thematic content with the claps, and then the circle moves forward Historical signicance Garba songs are mostly devotional and invoke the in a counterclockwise direction. The tempo of The name garba is derived from the Sanskrit term blessings of the Goddess. The thematic content for the song and the frequency of the claps increase garbha meaning ‘womb’. The history of the garba garba songs also expresses the hopes and desires gradually. The musical instruments used for garba can be traced back to an old Hindu legend that tells of women, and it is rich in metaphors connected are mainly the drum, harmoniums and the nal , a of Lord Krishna’s granddaughter-in-law, Usha, and with nature and seasons. These song texts are an kind of hand drum. A dholi , or drummer, who sits the way she danced and popularized a precursor to invaluable aspect of living traditions since they are in the centre keeps the rhythm. the garba , known as . Traditionally, the an oral archive of value systems, and they de!ne As a living and breathing cultural practice that dance is performed in circles around a decorated women’s social roles and behavioural codes that is now prevalent worldwide, garba consistently lamp known as the garbi . The lamp represented have been handed down through the ages. As a adapts and evolves into contemporary idioms embryonic life and quite often a coconut would living tradition, the form also continually evolves, and themes. The free-%owing and %exible nature be placed atop the pot to give it the appearance and new songs are being written with relevance of the form also enables the community to come of the sacred Kumbh. Often, the dancers carry the to the changes in status of women today. together, improvise and interact.

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