Adding one more feather to India’s cap and an appreciation of India’s cultural diversity- Gujarat’s Garba Dance has now been included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List.
Garba – Gujarat’s popular Garba Dance, a folk dance is performed for devotional reasons in honour of Goddess Durga. Men and women get together in a circle where they whirl and twirl to folk music for hours. What starts as slow movements, the tempo builds with people dancing more vigorously and energetically. Gujarat’s Garba dance is mainly performed during Navratri.
Image Credit: Pete Burana
As announced by Gujarat’s Chief Minister, Bhupendra Patel on X, “The age-old tradition of devotion to Goddess Mother in the form of Garba is alive and growing. Garba which has become the identity of Gujarat has been approved by UNESCO under its intangible cultural heritage list,” He also added, “This is a moment of pride for Gujaratis spread all over the world. This is a result of importance being given to the heritage of the country…Congratulations to the people of Gujarat.”
The Garba Dance of Gujarat making it to the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity is being seen as a matter of immense pride not only for Gujarat state but the entire nation.
‘Garba of Gujarat’ received prestigious recognition under the provisions of UNESCO’s 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 in Kasane, Botswana. The folk dance of Garba is deeply rooted in the ritualistic and devotional traditions of Gujarat. It plays an important role in developing socio-economic and gender inclusivity.
Even UNESCO’s New Delhi cluster office also shared the excitement, announcing, “Excited to share that #Garba of Gujarat is now India’s 15th inscription on the @UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity!”
Image Credit: OmMishra
A trip to Gujarat with our all-inclusive Gujarat Tour Packages is enough to catch a glimpse of the beautiful dance form of Gujarat’s Garba. The best time for the same is the ‘Rann of Utsav’ festival held every year in Gujarat’s Kutch from November to February. If you are here to explore the country with our India Tour Packages, book your cheap flights to Gujarat and hotel reservations in advance to beat the tourist rush.
Also Read: The Ultimate Rann of Kutch Travel Guide
The inclusion of Garba marks the 15th ICH element from India to join this distinguished list. This signifies the cultural significance of Gujarat’s Garba dance.
Apart from Gujarat’s Garba other Indian elements previously included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural List are:
- The tradition of Vedic chanting (2008)
- Ramlila, the traditional performance of the Ramayana (2008)
- Kutiyattam, Sanskrit theatre (2008)
- Ramman, religious festival and ritual theatre of the Garhwal Himalayas, India (2009)
- Mudiyettu, ritual theatre 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)
- Sankirtana, ritual singing, drumming, and dancing of Manipur (2013)
- Traditional brass and copper craft of utensil making among the Thatheras of Jandiala Guru, Punjab, India (2014)
- Yoga (2016)
- Nawrouz, Novruz, Nowrouz, Nowrouz, Nauryz, Nooruz, Nowruz, Navruz, Nevruz, Nowruz, Navruz (2016)
- Kumbh Mela (2017)
- Durga Puja of Kolkata (2021)
Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
| Aklan piña handloom weaving | Philippines |
| Al-Man’ouché, an emblematic culinary practice in Lebanon | Lebanon |
| Alpine pasture season | Switzerland |
| Art of Akhal-Teke horse breeding and traditions of horses’ decoration | Turkmenistan |
| Art of illumination: Təzhib/Tazhib/Zarhalkori/Tezhip/Naqqoshlik | Azerbaijan – Iran (Islamic Republic of) – Tajikistan – Türkiye – Uzbekistan |
| Arts, skills and practices associated with engraving on metals (gold, silver and copper) | Iraq – Algeria – Egypt – Mauritania – Morocco – Palestine – Saudi Arabia – Sudan – Tunisia – Yemen |
| Bolero: identity, emotion and poetry turned into song | Cuba – Mexico |
| Ceramic arts in Uzbekistan | Uzbekistan |
| Ch’utillos, the Festival of San Bartolomé and San Ignacio de Loyola, the meeting of cultures in Potosí | Bolivia (Plurinational State of) |
| Craftsmanship and performing art of Balaban/mey | Azerbaijan – Türkiye |
| Craftsmanship of mother of pearl inlay | Azerbaijan – Türkiye |
| Dabkeh, traditional dance in Palestine | Palestine |
| Elechek, Kyrgyz female headwear: traditional knowledge and rituals | Kyrgyzstan |
| Garba of Gujarat | India |
| Harees dish: know-how, skills and practices | United Arab Emirates – Oman – Saudi Arabia |
| Hiragasy, a performing art of the Central Highlands of Madagascar | Madagascar |
| Iftar/Eftari/Iftar/Iftor and its socio-cultural traditions | Azerbaijan – Iran (Islamic Republic of) – Türkiye – Uzbekistan |
| Jamu wellness culture | Indonesia |
| Junkanoo | Bahamas |
| Knowledge, craft and skills of handmade glass production | Czechia – Finland – France – Germany – Hungary – Spain |
| Mahadra, a community system for transmission of traditional knowledge and oral expressions | Mauritania |
| Malhun, a popular poetic and musical art | Morocco |
| Maltese Village Festa, an annual community celebration | Malta |
| Midwifery: knowledge, skills and practices | Colombia – Cyprus – Germany – Kyrgyzstan – Luxembourg – Nigeria – Slovenia – Togo |
| Nguon, rituals of governance and associated expressions in the Bamoun community | Cameroon |
| Polonaise, traditional Polish dance | Poland |
| Practices and meanings associated with the preparation and consumption of ceviche, an expression of Peruvian traditional cuisine | Peru |
| Procession and celebrations of Prophet Mohammed’s birthday in Sudan | Sudan |
| Rickshaws and rickshaw painting in Dhaka | Bangladesh |
| Rotterdam Summer Carnival | Netherlands |
Read More:
- Explore The Top Enchanting Places To Visit In Kutch
- 8 Fabulous Indian Escapades To Experience For Your Diwali Break
- Celebrating Dussehra in India: How Different Indian States Celebrate Dussehra
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