NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed his joy over the global recognition of Garba, a traditional dance form from India. The PM added that Garba found a place on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List. I am glad that the Certificate of Inscription was presented a few days ago in Paris.


COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

"Garba is a celebration of life, culture and devotion. It also brings people together. It is gladdening to note that Garba's global popularity on the rise! Sometime ago, Garba found a place in the @UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list. I am glad that the Certificate of Inscription was presented a few days back in Paris. At the same time, a memorable Garba Night was also held in Paris, which was attended the Indian community in large numbers," he said in a tweet on X.



PM Modi also shared some photographs of people enjoying the Garba dance and a copy of the UNESCO certificate. "Garba of Gujarat was inscribed in the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) of Humanity by UNESCO, under the provisions of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage during the 18th meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage from December 5-9, 2023, in Kasane, Botswana," as per the Ministry of Culture.


As per the Ministry of Culture, Garba of Gujarat is the 15th ICH element from India to join this list. Garba is a ritualistic and devotional dance that is performed on the occasion of the of Navaratri festival. The dance takes place around a perforated earthenware pot lit with an oil lamp, or an image of the mother goddess Amba.


Participating dancers move around the centre in a counter-clockwise circle, using simple movements while singing and clapping their hands in unison.
The Gujarati dance starts with slow circular movements and the tempo slowly builds up to a frenzied whirling.