The late evening breeze, the changing skies, that tingle in the air, the fragrance of night awaiting the hours to follow, longing to get high on dance
Garba and Raas generally take place at one time period in the year for seasonal and spiritual reasons. It is not very common knowledge that there are four times when Navratri could be celebrated. There is no reason why Garba and Raas dances, with or without elements of worship and devotion, may not take place
In India there are huge events which take place in large halls, stadiums and vast grounds and are held on a commercial basis, though in some instances a part of the profits may be donated to good causes. These events seek to attract the top garba performers and therefore the expenses of the events are quite substantial and these are recouped through high entry prices, advertisements and sponsorship. The people attending such events may have some link with the community and organisers, but generally they are open to all. The attendance at such events ranges from about 5000 to over 30,000 people.
Often families will hold or sponsor a night or two of garba during Navratri and these will be restricted to friends and relatives
or maybe in their Palaces !
Navratri time during the day Garba dances, though not usually Raas, take place in temples, small and large, and the participants are in the main women and mostly older ladies. The surroundings of the temple and its ambience lend a special sacred feeling to these daytime dances and these garbas have a special charm and the happening is far more devotional than the night time dances.
Up until the late 1980’s an evening of garba and raas dancing was considered an essential part of any Gujarati wedding. At weddings nowadays as there are several events such as musical nights and lavish receptions, the practice of holding a wedding Garba in Britain has sadly declined. This is regrettable as a Garba happening is the best occasion for bringing the guests of the bride and groom and their families in closer connection with each other. Often the couple will play garba and raas with their guests for most of the evenings.
At such events there is a practice of giving small gifts to all the girls and ladies who attend. In times past this would include some small item of stainless steel crockery, such as bowls and containers, engraved with the name of the familyGarbas when they are held, are held in suitable halls and a good deal of time attention and money is spent not only on the event but also on expensive garments, food and music. However even at relatively low cost these dances can make any wedding festivities much grander.
There are many community associations of Gujaratis in cities all over the world. These organisations do good work for the benefit of the community and at Navratri time, wherever possible they will arrange Garba and Raas dances even if it is just for a night or two rather than the full nine nights. There is a wide variety of such associations ranging from those of common religious affiliations, to groups of the same caste, to worldwide organisations such as the Lions Clubs.
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