Indian Diaspora Celebrates Garba’s UNESCO Heritage Tag at New York Times Square

Indian Diaspora Celebrates Garba’s UNESCO Heritage Tag at New York Times Square

New York: Members of the Indian-American community on Thursday held a commemorative Garba celebration at the New York Times Square, celebrating traditional Gujarati dance’s inclusion in UNESCO’s heritage list. Diaspora organization Federation of Indian Associations NY NJ CT NE organised the celebration along with the Consulate General of India in New York.

On Wednesday, the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage inscribed ‘Garba of Gujarat’ on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity during its 18th session, taking place in Kasane, Botswana.

Dressed in traditional Garba finery, men and women performed the traditional Gujarati dance surrounded by the flashing Times Square billboards as New Yorkers and tourists from around the world stopped to watch, take photos and videos and cheer the performance. Some onlookers even joined the dance, trying to match the steps and the rhythm of Garba and the ‘Dhol’.

Addressing the community at the Times Square celebration, Acting Consul General of India in New York Dr Varun Jeph said it is a momentous and historic occasion as we celebrate Garba of Gujarat and its inclusion in UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

“These celebrations are not just celebrations of Garba but these are the celebrations of the diverse, vibrant and celebrated traditions, heritage and culture of India, he said, adding celebrating Garba at Times Square – the crossroads of the world – is indeed special and unparalleled. Jeph underlined that the celebration in Times Square highlights unity, harmony and communities coming together. Let the rhythm of Garba resonate in our hearts and let it spread across the world,” he said.

This week’s inclusion of Garba now makes it India’s 15th inscription on the List. A ritualistic and devotional dance performed throughout the State of Gujarat, and across India, Garba is celebrated for nine days during the festival of Navaratri. The festival is dedicated to the worship of the feminine energy or Shakti.

“The cultural, performative, and visual expressions of this feminine energy are expressed through the Garba dance. The performative and visual celebration of Garba takes place within homes and temple courtyards, public spaces in villages, urban squares, streets, and large open grounds. Garba thus becomes an all-encompassing participatory community event,” UNESCO said in a statement.