Garba as Poetry and Performance

Journey from the Streets to UNESCO

A talk by Utpala Desai
(Independent Researcher and Lecturer)

Many layers of influences have created and shaped Garba, the most popular folk dance of Gujarat. Garba has been an integral part of Gujarati culture for almost a millennium - as literary genre, religious ritual and folk dance. Traditionally, it was performed by women during Navratri to worship Shakti through dance and music. Historically, Garba was a literary expression of devotion written by medieval saint poets of Gujarat. Across Gujarat regional variations of Garba dance developed from time to time and they are being performed till date. In 2023, Garba was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The talk will trace the development of Garba as literary expression of Shakta and Vaishnava religious faiths, recognize distinct genres of Garba as cultural identity of different caste groups, integration of Ras with Garba, formation of a global identity and finally, its inscription in UNESCO as ICH (Intangible Cultural Heritage) in 2023.

About the Speaker

Utpala Desai is an independent researcher and teaches Indian Culture in Ahmedabad. She was part of the team to prepare the Nomination Dossier for Garba’s nomination as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Currently she is the Convener of INTACH’s Ahmedabad Chapter.

Open for all

Date: 14 September, 2024 (Saturday)

Time: 6 pm to 7:15 pm (Tea will be served from 5:25 pm to 5:50 pm)

Venue: Lecture Hall, L D Museum

For registration, please contact:

Call: 079-26306883 | WhatsApp: +91-9408536883

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