Garba - please tell me about it

katcalls

HI Everyone

The poll recently posted and watching "Bride and Prejudice" has had me entranced by the Garba. I'm assuming from the poll thread that this is the name for the dance in "Bride and Prejudice" where there is dancing in a circular motion and where the dancers dance with sticks.

I thought the dance captivating. Can someone enlighten me as to its background? Is it religious? A mating/wedding ritual? Is it performed often? Do only trained dancers dance it?

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cyberhippie

Stricktly speaking this would be the dandiya ras (stick dance), though the term Garba in common usuage seems to also cover this!
The official line for garba seems to be this......

The Garba, a circular dance performed by women around an earthen ware pot called a "Garbo", filled with water.


A betel nut and a silver coin are placed within the pot, called a "Kumbh", on top of which a coconut has also been placed. As the dancers whirl around the pot, a singer and a drummer provide the musical accompaniment. The participants clap in a steady rhythm.

I was privileged to witness stick dancing (dandiya ras) in all it's passion this year. During the Holi celebrations in Goa of all places!!
It was wonderful to watch as the fevourish beats took the stick dancers faster and faster in blur of complicated moves not unlike martial arts.
It seemed to imbibe a real sense of oneness in the dancers and the energy both physical and spritual was tangible!!
Two of the dancers went into what appeared to be a trance but helped by their mates continued to dance.
It really was heady stuff I couldn't stop smiling!
At one point the hung a rope from the roof and each grabbed one of the 20 or more strands and made complicated patterns with the rope as they weaved in and out of each other.
When the rope was completely knotted, the beat went up a notch and the ropes undone in a flurry of bobbing heads and limbs
I've seen the stick dancing several in Pushkar times at Holi where it also blew me away, accompanied there by a huge kettle drum and some over enthusiastic Rajsthani youths!!
There doesn't seem to be a special time for this dance, though I have usually seen it in conjuction with Holy festivals but I believe it is also common at weddings and the like!!
Try and catch this in India! Indians love to dance and the pure joy on the faces of the stick dancers as the beat carrys them away is something to behold!!
A magic moment in India!

gs_uppal

Go to Gujarat or Mumbai to see the Dandiya there during Navratras, NIne days just before Dussehra festival (around October every year).
Gujratis and nowadays ppl of all groups/religions do it and these dances are held till late night for nine nights.
It has also become a huge business in Mumbai and other cities.

PRIYA

Here in Zim. mostly girls join in for garba. Very hypnotic when the pace quickens. It's not too difficult to learn and it is addictive Guys join in sometimes. Maybe it's not the done thing for guju guys - anyone able to answer this one??

Dhandia - the dance with sticks, is amazing, and seems to change everytime I've watched. I'm too shy to join in cos if you make a mistake, it would more than likely affect both lines - Imagine ??!! I'd love to learn tho.

Here it's been done at pre-wedding celebrations and Navratri, but I think any time is good enough, if you have enough people and the right music.

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gs_uppal

thats true lanismac.

garba is traditionally a ladies only dance, and dandiya for guys, just like in Punjab BHanghra has been for guys and Giddha for Ladies.
But nowadays, with times changing ladies take part in Dandiya and Bhanghra both.

PRIYA

Great news, thank you.

Funnily enough tho, here in Zim it seems to be mostly ladies who participate in dhandia as well - (I have to get myself some "sticks" n start learning)

Lanis.

cyberhippie

Watch your knuckles lanismac!!

gs_uppal

here in mumbai and gujarat, guys n gals especially gujratis are crazy bout daniya.
they start rehearsing for it a fortnight before the actual navratri nights.
start preparing there dresses a month before.
there are prizes for best dressed couple etc. and the winning couple at the best dandiyas get to fly to switzerland for a week.

cyberhippie

Here's some more background on the dance from the website of

Ranbahar Academy of Dance Drama and Music


Visit their website for a look at dance in India!!

http://www.rangbahar.com/folkdances.htm

gs_uppal

Interestingly the Navratris and Dandiya is seen by the young Gujratis as the time when they can find their partners.

And a fact - The months just after Navratris is the period when Abortions are the highest in Mumbai and Gujarat.

(Am sure this year the Maharashtra Govt will do some kind of Moral policing on this after their recent ban on Bar Girls)

PRIYA

I'll have a word with my insurance broker before I partake

Firstly I gotta find someone to lend me some "sticks" !!!

PRIYA

gs_uppalhere in mumbai and gujarat, guys n gals especially gujratis are crazy bout daniya.
they start rehearsing for it a fortnight before the actual navratri nights.
start preparing there dresses a month before.
there are prizes for best dressed couple etc. and the winning couple at the best dandiyas get to fly to switzerland for a week.

WOW........I'll be there.............relying on Divine Intervention of course!!

gs_uppalInterestingly the Navratris and Dandiya is seen by the young Gujratis as the time when they can find their partners.

And a fact - The months just after Navratris is the period when Abortions are the highest in Mumbai and Gujarat.

(Am sure this year the Maharashtra Govt will do some kind of Moral policing on this after their recent ban on Bar Girls)

I'll have to keep this comment to myself cos the Gujus here will think I've been keeping "bad" company. That kinda thing doesn't happen here - and I'm serious. Thank goodness. (Maybe I'm being naive, but the community is very small and close, so everyone would know )

Thanks for the website Cyberhippie - I'll have a looksee............

Paagla Dashu

What on earth is "disco dandiya"?

katcalls

Once again Indiamike comes to the rescue with good information and kind words.

I'll check out the link when I'm not on a work computer.

Thanks Cyberhippie, lanismac and gs_uppal