• Celebrated in/during: October

Significance: This is a festival to worship Goddess Durga, honoring the divine feminine power and the victory of good over evil. Celebrated over nine vibrant nights, it is marked by deep devotion, fasting, and joyous community gatherings. Gujarat’s traditional folk dance, ‘Garba’, is performed by people of all ages, especially enthusiastic young boys and girls. They are clad in colorful traditional costumes, such as mirror-adorned Chaniya Cholis and Kediyus.

People gather in expansive open grounds and illuminated venues to dance in synchronized circular rhythms, often accompanied by the rhythmic clatter of Dandiya sticks. Professional singer troupes and live orchestras are hired to perform energetic traditional and contemporary Garba melodies. The festival is celebrated with boundless enthusiasm, grandeur, and devotion, culminating in the festive triumph of Dussehra.