Viral video: The Indian-American community, along with the Federation of Indian Associations NY-NJ-CT-NE (FIA) held a celebration at iconic Times Square in New York on Thursday (December 7) to mark the historic announcement of Garba’s inclusion in the UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage List. The video of the same has gone viral on social media. People, wearing traditional Gujarati dress, were seen performing Garba on the famous song ‘Dhol baaje’, among a huge crowd in a pleasant evening.
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Gujarat'’s popular Garba dance was included in the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) of Humanity by UNESCO.
The inclusion has been made 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 which began in Kasane, Botswana on Tuesday (December 5).
“Garba of Gujarat is the 15th ICH element from India to join this list. This inscription underscores Garba’s pivotal role as a unifying force that fosters social and gender inclusivity.
“Garba as a dance form is entrenched deeply in ritualistic and devotional roots, involving people from all walks of life and it continues to thrive as a vibrant living tradition bringing communities together,” an official release said.
PM Modi’s reaction to massive development
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the move and called Garba a celebration of life.
“Garba is a celebration of life, unity and our deep-rooted traditions. Its inscription on the Intangible Heritage List showcases to the world the beauty of Indian culture. This honour inspires us to preserve and promote our heritage for future generations. Congrats for this global acknowledgment,” PM Modi posted on X.
Garba is a ritualistic and devotional dance that is performed on the occasion of the festival of Navratri which is dedicated to the worship of the feminine energy or 'Shakti', the UNESCO website said. The dance takes place around a perforated earthenware pot lit with an oil lamp, or an image of the mother goddess Amba.
(With ANI inputs)
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