atulaNavaratri...the enchanting rhythm of garba.
October 3rd 2008 05:07
This is the time when garba, a traditional dance form done during the navaratri to appease the Goddess Amba is performed.
The name garba comes from the Sanskrit term Garba Deep. Garba, meaning inside, and Deep is a small earthenware lamp. For this reason, many traditional garbas are performed around a central lit lamp. Traditionally, it is performed during the nine-day festival with either the lamp (the Garba Deep), or an image of Amba placed in the middle of the concentric rings as an object of veneration People dance around the deity clapping rhythmically. At every step they gracefully bend sideways, the arms coming together in sweeping gestures, up and down, left and right, each movement ending in clap.
Various Categories of garba
Duha: Is in opening fast tracked song, at a very high pitch and after that the 'geet' follows! Men display an energetic form of dance synonymous with the tunes.
Raas: It's roots lay from the days of Lord Krishna who played 'raas'on the shores of Yamuna river on a moonlit night with his beloved Gopis..the tradition still continues! nowadays, men and women play in pairs with bamboo sticks called 'dandiya'!
Garba: Performed on 9 nights, 'Navratri' to Goddess Ambica, where women dance gracefully in circles sometimes also using, 'Bedu, Kanjari' or just 'Taali' and 'Chapti' They are dressed in exqusitely embridored, set in mirrors 'Choli', 'Ghagra' and 'Bandhani' dupattas, silver oxidised jewellery where in 'Tika' and 'Anklets' are a must! the dress code of men is Kehediyu, Chudidar and a Turban.
Aarti: Is sung in the beginning genuflecting the Goddess. Prayers are offered and Prasies are sung and danced with diyas in hand.
Jaag: Is a slow paced dance where woman carry on their heads lamps lit in piecered pots. This form is associated with old traditions.
Modern garba is heavily influenced by raas a dance traditionally performed by men. The merger of these two dances has formed the high-energy dance that is seen today. You can actually find this dance being performed in every street of India right now.
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