What is the difference between Dandiya Raas and Garba Raas?
The main difference between the ‘Garba’ and ‘Dandiya’ dance performances is that Garba is performed before Dandiya ‘Aarti’ (worshipping ritual) as devotional performances in the honor of the Goddess while Dandiya is performed after it, as a part of merriment. While Garba is performed exclusively by women, men and women join in for Dandiya. Also known as ‘stick dance’ as performers use a pair of colorfully decorated sticks as props, the circular movements of Dandia Raas are slightly more complex than that of Garba. The dancers strike the sticks with their partners to the rhythm of the music. The origin of these dance performances or ‘Raas’ can be traced back to the life of Lord Krishna. Today, ‘Raas’ is not only an important part of Navratri in Gujarat but extends itself to other festivals related to harvest and crops as well.
