Garbha is a traditional dance from Gujarat, originally performed only by women.
It is said to have evolved when Lord Krishna played this dance with the gopis (milkmaids).
The literal meaning of Garbha is womb. The women dance in a circle clapping their hands around an earthen pot with a lamp in it or carry the pots on their head while dancing. The pot symbolizes the womb while the lamp emitting light is representative of the life within the womb.
This dance is performed during the nine nights of Navratri festival. The women perform this dance at night on street corners after completing their house work. This dance is performed to honor goddess Amba. The songs sung during the dance describe the goddess`s powers and invoke her blessings.
Lots of musical instruments like dholi (drum), shehnai (reed pipes), murli (flute) etc. are used to provide energetic music to the dancers. The musicians are usually seated in the center of the circle. Women usually wear beautifully woven and intricately designed ghagra (long skirts) and cholis (blouse) while performing this dance.
This dance has evolved a lot over the years. Earlier only women used to perform this dance, nowadays even men join in. The style, pace of dance, costumes, music etc. have all acquired a modern avatar. The dance from Gujarat has spread to other regions of India. From being performed on street corners to being staged in halls, playgrounds, stadiums etc. this dance has acquired a very commercial outlook. Instead of traditional music, people dance to film music or pop, disco music.