Garba dance of Gujarat makes it to UNESCO list

Subject: History

Section: Art and culture

Context:

Gujarat’s traditional dance form, “Garba,” has been added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list, becoming the 15th cultural element from India to receive this recognition.

More about Garba

Garba is a traditional dance form from Gujarat, India, primarily performed during the Navratri festival to worship the Hindu goddess Durga.
Origins: The term “Garba” comes from “Garbha” (womb) and “Deep” (lamp).The dance is performed around a central lamp or a representation of the Goddess, symbolizing life, death, and rebirth.
Nature of Dance: Garba is characterized by energetic, circular movements, clapping hands, and intricate footwork, reflecting the cyclical nature of life.
Music and Instruments: The dance is accompanied by rhythmic music, traditionally using instruments like the dhol (drum), harmonium, and flute, with modern adaptations including electronic instruments.
Traditional Attire: Women wear a chaniya choli (a colorful, embroidered skirt set) and men don a kediyu and dhoti or pajama, often embellished with mirrors and embroidery.
Inclusivity and Community Aspect: The dance is inclusive, attracting people of all ages and backgrounds, and emphasizing community participation.
Dandiya Raas Association: Garba is often followed by Dandiya Raas, another dance form using sticks (dandiyas), especially after the Aarti (worship ritual).

India’s ICH on the UNESCO list

Sangeet Natak Akademi is the nodal organisation which looks after this function, and files nominations of intangible cultural entities from India, for evaluation by the international body.
ICG from India include Kolkata’s Durga Puja (2021), Kumbh Mela (2017), Navroz (2016), Yoga (2016), traditional brass and copper craft of utensil-making among coppersmiths of Punjab (2014), Sankirtana, a ritual musical performance of Manipur (2013), and the Buddhist chanting of Ladakh (2012).
Before 2011, the list included Chhau dance, Kalbelia folk songs and dance of Rajasthan, and Mudiyettu, a dance drama from Kerala (2010), Ramman, a religious festival and theatre performance of Garhwal in the Himalayas (2009), and Kutiyattam or Sanskrittheatre, and Vedic chanting (2008).
Ramlila, a traditional performance of Ramayana, was also included in 2008.

What is UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) ?

ICH means the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills – as well as the instruments, objects, artifacts and cultural spaces associated with them that communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals recognize as a part of their cultural heritage.
Furthermore, its importance is not in the cultural manifestation itself, but in the wealth of knowledge, know-how and skills that are transmitted from one generation to the next.
The adoption of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the ICH by the General Conference of UNESCO in 2003 was a crucial step towards preserving intangible heritage.
UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity was established in the year 2008.

Criteria for the selection

There are three criteria for an intangible cultural heritage to be inscribed in the United Nations list.
The entity must-
- be recognized by communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals as part of their cultural heritage,
- be transmitted from generation to generation and be constantly recreated by communities and groups in response to their environment, their interaction with nature and their history and
- provide them with a sense of identity and continuity, thus promoting respect for cultural diversity and human creativity