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Garba was originally called "raas" or "raas garba" just like "raas leela". People used to gather for satsang/ "aaradhna" of Maa Jagdamba. They used to establish Mataji's chhavi/murti in the middle of the chowk,sing bhakti songs (Raas,aarti,prarthna) for Maa.
In devotion they used to get up and start clapping,take rounds by feeling the owe and devotion towards Maataji,tht was called Raas.
We bring matuki which is called Garbo ,with 9 holes at home to establish for 9 days, as a symbol of welcoming Maa. We offer naivaidya to our kuldevi on ashtami mostly, Sometimes they put the garbo on head and dance in owe of Maa. So it was also called as raas-garba.
That garbo used to have 9 holes (now the potters make many cause they don't know) as a symbol of 9 dwars of our body 2 eyes, 2 ears,2 nostrils,1 mouth 1 anus,1 genitelia. These 9 dwars are that from where our soul will depart.
To attain Moksha, on Navratri, people pray to Maa to find and open the 10th dwar which is called "brahmarandhra" and it can attain by immense yog sadhnaa and divine bhakti. If any soul has found it, it will get moksha.
This scenario was till 60s and 70s as my mother says. After that around mid 80s 90s it became like dance programme.
But there was still the essence maintained. They used to only clap in garba.These were called Prachin Raas. Snapping fingers was considerd as Arvachin raas.There were always used to different competitions between prachin and arvachin.Prachin used to be considered as tough one
And then came the Millennium.Everything was changed. Every Kaliyuga things entered in the divine purpose of Navratri. Bollywood music and steps ruined it. It has become merely a dance form that too not in original form. Raas garba is a folk dance but it has become bollywood.
Sadly Navratri has become a kind of sunburn festival of Goa and that's why you hear jokes about abortions increase during this time because Navratri is no more a devotional festival anymore.
I entirely blame Gujaratis for it. They couldn't preserve the essence of Navratri. Today's parents of teenagers in their 40s (+) wouldn't even know the importance of Navratri. I thank to Prabhu,my Guru ji and parents for the gyaan about dharma they imparted in me.
That's it.
That's it.
