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How to Do The Garba on Navratri?

© AP Photo / Mahesh Kumar A.Navratri
Navratri  - Sputnik India, 1920, 13.10.2023
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From 15 October, India will be buzzing with festive fervour with the beginning of the nine-day Navratri festival, which is inseparable from traditional dances - Garba and Dandiya.
As the countdown to the festive season begins, people all over India are eagerly preparing to celebrate the upcoming nine-day Navratri festival with immense joy and enthusiasm.
Hindu devotees from all over India and around the world will unite in a vibrant show of devotion, celebrating and worshipping the nine divine incarnations of the goddess Durga.
From dressing up in traditional Indian attire, pandal hopping (temporary structure set up to worship the god and goddess), and fasting for nine days to playing the Garba and Dandiya dance, the festival creates a lot of buzz and fills the air with warmth, joy, love, and devotion.
Sputnik India brings to you the electrifying Garba and Dandiya nights organized in several communities during Navratri as devotees dance to honour and praise the goddesses.

What is Garba?

Garba, a folk dance from Gujarat, celebrates fertility, honours womanhood, and pays respect to the goddess Durga and her nine incarnations.
The name “Deep Garbha” is derived from the Sanskrit word Garbha, which means womb, and Deep, meaning a small earthen oil lamp. It refers to the clay pot that is traditionally placed at the center of the dancing circle and an oil lamp (diya) that is placed inside it.
The light inside the pot is symbolic of a baby inside the womb. It is believed that the goddess is invoked into the pot.
Dancers move around in circles, making circular movements with their hands and feet around this earthen pot. The gesture represents the eternal cycle of life rotating from life to death to rebirth, while the divine form remains constant, invincible, and unaffected.
© AP Photo / Ajit SolankiNavratri
Navratri  - Sputnik India, 1920, 13.10.2023
Navratri

How is Garba Played on Navratri?

During Garba, people dance in a huge circle around an illuminated clay pot that signifies the image of the goddess Durga.
The performers begin with dancing barefoot in a clockwise direction and snapping, clapping, and twirling in style to the beats of the dhol (Indian instrument) and trance music.
Although Garba is typically performed by women and young girls, on some occasions men also participate.
Social media is flooded with tutorial videos showcasing basic, simple, and common Garba dance steps for beginners to learn and groove all night on Navratri.
© AP Photo / Ajit SolankiNavratri
Navratri  - Sputnik India, 1920, 13.10.2023
Navratri

What to Wear on Garba Night?

Both men and women come dressed in their best traditional outfits. The dress code for Garba night for women consists of traditional three-piece colourful and ethnic attires – chaniya or ghagra (long skirt), choli (blouse), and an embellished dupatta.
To complete the look, women accessorize it with heavy earrings, bangles, maang tika (forehead jewellery), and necklaces, and wear bold eyeliner or kajal and bindis for make-up.
Meanwhile, the costume for males consists of a simple kurta pajama set or more traditional "kafni pajama" (multi-pleated pant), a "kediyu"' (round flared kurta), and a turban embellished with sequins for the head.
© AP Photo / Mahesh Kumar ANavratri
Navratri  - Sputnik India, 1920, 13.10.2023
Navratri

What is the Difference Between Garba and Dandiya Dance?

Apart from Garba, which has more devotional appeal, another popular dance that is performed during Navratri is Dandiya.
Both originated in Gujarat, however Garba is performed to bhajans (devotional songs) and chants in praise of the goddess Durga and is done before the aarti (offering light to the deities) ceremony, while Dandiya is usually played during the late evening after the aarti.
While Garba involves hand motions such as clapping, snapping, and dancing in circular formations, Dandiya is a more playful dance form that involves men and women striking colourful bamboo sticks to the rhythm of the music.
During Navratri, numerous dance troupes in different neighbourhoods organize thrilling competitions on Garba and Dandiya, making the celebrations even more enjoyable.
Navratri  - Sputnik India, 1920, 10.10.2023
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