Garba Dance

08.12.2023

Garba Dance , Daily Current Affairs , RACE IAS : Best IAS Coaching in Lucknow

 Why in news?

Recently 'Garba Dance of Gujarat' has been included in the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (ICH) by UNESCO.

Important points:

• Garba was listed under the provisions of the 2003 Convention on the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage during the 18th meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Intangible Cultural Heritage in Botswana.
• It was nominated for inclusion in the list during the Navratri festival.
• In the year 2023 itself, UNWTO had included Dhordo village in Kutch district of Gujarat in the list of Best Tourism Village.

About Garba Dance:

• It is a ritualistic and devotional dance performed throughout the state of Gujarat.
• It is celebrated for nine days during the festival of Navratri.
• This festival is dedicated to the worship of feminine energy or Shakti.
• This dance takes place around the Kalash, in which the flame burns. Along with this there is a picture of Goddess Mother Amba.
• Cultural, performative and visual expressions of this feminine energy are expressed through the Garba dance.
• The performative and visual celebration of Garba takes place in homes and temple courtyards, public spaces in villages, urban squares, streets and large open grounds. Thus Garba becomes a universally participatory community event.
• Garba dance of Gujarat is the 15th intangible cultural heritage of India to be included in this list.

Importance:

• Apart from being a religious ritual, Garba promotes social equality by weakening socio-economic, gender and rigid sectarian structures.
• It remains inclusive and participatory by diverse and marginalized communities, thereby strengthening community bonds.

About Intangible Cultural Heritage:

• UNESCO ICH is a term that refers to those practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills and cultural places that are recognized as part of the cultural heritage of a community, group or individual.
• UNESCO defines ICH as "the main source of humanity's cultural diversity and its maintenance, the guarantee of continued creativity".
• It was adopted at the 32nd session of the General Conference of UNESCO in 2003 and came into force in 2006 after being ratified by thirty states.
• Two important lists have been established for intangible cultural heritage.
  • Representative List: Reflecting the global diversity of ICH, this list raises awareness of its importance and character.
  • Urgent Protection List: Recognizing ICH as endangered, this list calls for immediate measures to ensure its survival.

UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in India:

• Tradition of Vedic Chanting -2008
• Ramlila, traditional performance of Ramayana - 2008
• Kutiyattam, Sanskrit Theater - 2008
• Religious Festival and Ritual Theater of Ramman, Garhwal Himalaya, India - 2009
• Mudiyettu, religious theater and dance drama of Kerala -2010
• Kalbelia Folk Songs and Dances of Rajasthan-2010
• chhau dance-2010
• Buddhist Chanting of Ladakh: Recitation of Sacred Buddhist Texts in the Trans-Himalayan Ladakh Region, Jammu and Kashmir, India - 2012
• Sankirtan, ritual singing, drumming and dance of Manipur - 2013
• Traditional brass and copper craft of pottery making among the Thathars of Jandiala Guru, Punjab, India - 2014
• Yoga - 2016
• Navroz - 2016
• Kumbh Mela - 2017
• Durga Puja in Kolkata - 2021

Garba Dance of Gujarat - 2023