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Best Places in Gujarat to Enjoy Garba

Navratri is considered as the world's longest dance festival and celebrated not only in Gujarat but in various other parts of the country, with fervent enthusiasm and devotion by one and all. The festival is an inseparable part of identity of Gujarat. The bhajans and garbas are sung in praise of the goddess beside a lamp placed in an earthen pot also called as Garbo.

Various forms of garba dance include Garba, Gofan, Garbi, Dandiya, Hinch and Hudo. This nine day event in the state attracts lots of tourists from all over the world. This big festival has different names in different parts of India. While in Gujarat it is referred to as Navratri, in West Bengal it is called Durga Puja, in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar the same event is known as Dussehra and in Karnataka, the event is known as Dasara.

Navratri is known to celebrate the veneration of three Goddess- Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati. All these revered goddesses signify different virtues, like power is signified by Durga, wealth by Lakshmi, and knowledge by Saraswati. In the state of Gujarat, the highlight of the nine night festival is a dance called garba. What exactly is it?

Gujarati garba is a circular form of dance that involves clapping and whirling around what is usually an idol of the Mother Goddess in the center. It is accompanied by music and singing. Dandiya is a variant that involves the addition of sticks, which dancers beat in rhythm. Dressing up in colourful traditional outfits is a must, especially for women who put a huge amount of effort into planning a different costume for each night of the festival. Garba happens at night in villages and neighbourhoods all over Gujarat during Navratri

However, the best place to experience it is in the cultural capital, Vadodara. There are two famous garba events held there. They're energetic and it's common for Bollywood celebrities to be in attendance.

United Way Garba, Vadodara

Many people claim the garba event hosted by United Way to be their favourite. Around 30,000 people attend it each night. A combination of good management, top singers, and ambiance is what draws huge visitors to Vadodara. Proper security arrangements are also always in place. For travellers information, United Way Garba is held in Navlakhi Ground on the Rajmahal Road.

Maa Shakti Garba

Not just the largest garba event in Vadodara, the Maa Shakti garba is listed in the Limca Book of World Records as the biggest garba in the world. Nearly 40,000 dancers took part to earn the honour about 9 years ago. The Maa Shakti Garba is held in Gujarat Housing Board Ground.

Garba

The state's largest city, Ahmedabad, holds some renowned garba events as well. The biggest and most well-known of these is the one hosted by Gujarat Tourism at the GMDC ground. It has handicrafts, fun for the kids, and a state-level garba competition. Travellers would also find dozens of garba venues along the Sarkhej-Gandhinagar Highway (S.G. Road), which connects Ahmedabad with Gandhinagar, the state capital.

To sum it all, travellers should attend Navratri Festival in Gujarat to witness and experience this fun-filled affair between traditional values and contemporary styles to believe the trend.

Read more about: gujarat navratri dasara
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