Garba.

   
Women performing Garba.

         Garba is a traditional folk dance which originated at the state of Gujarat in India . Garba is performed during the nine-day hindu festival - Navratri , Holi , Basant Panchami , Sharad panchami and various other festivals . It is a dance form which is performed in circular manner around a "Garbha Deep"(earthenware lamps) or a picture or a statue of Goddess Durga while clapping and singing at the same time . Garba is performed before the Aarati and through this dance form the sanctity and power of Durga or Amba is worshiped .It is believed that Usha the grand daughter-in-law of Krishna is credited to have popularized Lasya Nritya , which is today known by the name of Garba dance.

History of Garba
   
Women dancing with an
earthen pot on their head

    The word garba comes from the Sanskrit word for womb and so implies gestation/pregnancy Traditionally women performed this dance around a clay lantern with a light inside, called a Garbha Deep ("womb lamp"). This lantern represents life, and the fetus in the womb in particular. The dancers thus honor Durga, the feminine form of divinity. It is also believed that Garba dance form is performed in a circular manner as a symbol of the Hindu view of time .As we know that time in Hinduism is cyclical as in the cycle of time revolves from birth , to life , to death and again to rebirth ,the only thing that remains constant is the goddess. The rings created by the dancers while playing garba symbolizes that other than God (here goddess Durga) everything in this universe is going through a change.

           The Garba dance was earlier performed by the females only , they use to keep a pot with lamp inside it on top of their heads. Thereafter, they swing in circles by singing and clapping at regular interval. Now-a-days with growing popularity of this dance form we can see men joining in the garba dance along with the women. Women wear Chaniya choli and Bandhni duppattas with heavy jewellery , whereas , men wear churidar, kehediyu and a turban.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Props used while playing Garba.

Image
        Navratri is a festival which  comes with the promise of nine days of non-stop fun, dance and festivities. Garba is just not about colourful attires and dance forms , people use various props to make the dance more fun. Here are few of the props that are used while playing garba . DIYAS Garba props often involve a lot of fire because it is the festival essentially about garbha deep, which means a lamp representing life. People use LED diyas, thus painting a pretty picture on the garba grounds and yet being absolutely safe at the same time.   DANDIYA Dandiyas are the most popular props that are used. The term Dandiya Rass is  what has got garba on global map ,thus these ornamental sticks made of metal, wood, plastic or even silver,are used to play dandiya. Then there are the Raja Rani dandiyas - which have beautiful doll figures carved onto them, which add a whole new level of charm to the dance. Played in twos, dandiya inv...
Read more

Difference between Garba and Dandiya .

Image
Navratri is one of the most popular festivals in India especially in Gujarat and Maharashtra. The word Navratri means "Nine Nights" which are dedicated In the worship of goddess Durga. Dandiya Raas and Garba Raas are two traditional folk dance which are performed during Navratri to seek blessings of Goddess Durga. The origin of these dances can be traced back to the life of Lord Krishna.  Differences between Garba and Dandiya. Garba being played during Navratri                   Dandiya and Garba dances are performed in the honour of Goddess .But in modern India, Dandiya and Garba are considered more of cultural events than that of religious events, these dance forms have religious significance as well. Due to commercialization of these events, their religious significance has reduced.  Dandiya Rass being performed  during Navratri. The main difference between the ‘Garba’ and ‘Dandiya’ dance is that...
Read more

Evolution of Garba.

Image
  Garba is a traditional folk dance which originated at the state of Gujarat in India . Garba is the most popular women's folk dance.  Garba is performed during the nine-day hindu festival - Navratri , Holi , Basant Panchami , Sharad panchami and various other festivals . Its origin seems to be from the tribal wandering about for hunting. Since people earlier didn't know how to communicate they used the dance forms to express themselves .There was no particular step or dance move they randomly use to dance by moving their hands back and forth.  Since hunting was a life and death situation in earlier times, the tribal community celebrated through this dance form. There has been several changes in the dance pattern and today it is   famously known as Garba .Some scholars also believed that garba was an agricultural dance form adapted from the tribal community , the farmers use to perform this dance form after harvest for the year was collected .Th...
Read more