What Is Garba? The Story Behind Gujarat’s Navratri Dance

Garba is a circular folk dance from Gujarat, traditionally performed during Navratri to honour the goddess Durga (Amba or Shakti). Its name comes from the Sanskrit “Garbha Deep,” meaning a lamp placed inside a womb-shaped pot — referring to the perforated earthen pot (“garbo”) with a lamp inside, traditionally placed at the centre of the dance circle.

What began as devotional village gatherings in Gujarat, open to people across caste and class, has evolved over generations into large city-ground celebrations, often blending with Krishna-associated Raas dance. Gujarati communities carried the tradition worldwide, to East Africa, Britain, North America and beyond.

In December 2023, UNESCO inscribed Garba on its Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, making it India’s 15th element on that list.