Asees Kaur

Garba is a Gujarati folk music-and-dance tradition from western India, performed in circular formations around a diya (lamp) or an image of the Goddess during Navratri and other festive occasions. The music drives communal clapping patterns and twirling steps, emphasizing collective energy, devotion, and celebration. Musically, garba typically uses lively 6-beat (dadra) or 8-beat (keherwa) cycles, repetitive call-and-response refrains, and modal melodies that sit comfortably in Hindustani-influenced scales. Traditional ensembles feature dhol, dholak, nagada, manjira (small cymbals), and harmonium; contemporary arrangements frequently add keyboards, electric bass, and drum kits, or even full pop production. While often grouped with dandiya raas at Navratri events, garba is distinct: it relies primarily on claps (not sticks), rounded motion, and devotional/romantic Gujarati lyrics that build momentum over long, dance-focused performances.