GARABA

also spelled Garba, dance form popular at festival times in Gujarat, India. It is a simple, joyful dance, based on a circular pattern and characterized by a sweeping action from side to side accompanied by hand clapping. At the Dasahara festival (September) after the monsoon rains, girls carrying pitchers go from house to house and dance around the garabi, decorated pots containing offerings that are hung in the doorways. Later they celebrate by dancing around images of the goddess of plenty and prosperity, Mataji. The garaba dances are also performed at the Holi spring festival, when many activities centre on the Krishna legends. Folk dances similar to the garaba are performed in other parts of India, especially Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan.