Bollywood remixes, commercialisation- the new face of Garbha

No longer a simple song and dance festival to worship the mother Goddess- Bollywood, remixes and commercialisation are the leitmotif of Garbha .

Revellers now match their steps to the beats of octapads, drums, synthesier and songs belted out by professional singers at posh clubs.

“In the ancient times the Garbha has a ‘Bhakti Swarup.’ Songs typically descibed and praised goodess Bhavani and women would dance around her picture and sing the songs themselves,” Vibhuti Chayya, Deputy Director of Information, Gujarat Toursim said.

Another change has been that Dandiya, a Raas that celebrates the love between Radha-Krishna,traditionally played by the Yadav community which has now become popular with all sections of society, especially the younger lot, she said Before the remix era, songs typically began on a low note and grudually picked up in tempo. Now they are high-energy from beginning to end, she added.

“It’s the demand of the public,” justifies Vishal Patel, manager of Devang Patel, a popular singer who added that nearly 20 to 25 per cent of the songs are Bollywood numbers.

Artistes are earning anywhere from 20,000 to a little over a lakh per night depending on their standing, Patel said.

Historically, songs for the occasion are typically folk numbers that can be traced back to Narsinh Mehta and Avinash Vyas dating back to the 5th and 6th century.

Sanedo - song meant to convey love for the deity - from North Gujarat is particularly in demand this time. Commercialisation has started seeping into the celebrations. For those who can afford it and especially those in urban areas, the action is at the clubs, Chayya said.

The costumes too are getting more daring. “The chaniya-choli is a costume of the teenagers which even older women have now started wearing. Earlier modesty was at premium and older women would make a pretty picture in a traditional Gujarati sari with their head covered,” she said.

So how much does a garbha costume cost? “It can start from as little as Rs 150 and can go upto a few thousands” Sheetal Modi, a young reveller said.

Young girls are also enrolling for classes to ensure that they don’t falter on D-day.

“We usually practice in groups and improvise on the steps on the spot,” Deepal Patel who participated in the celebrations at one of the upmarket clubs here said.

However for all its commercialisation Chayya says that the “spirit endures”.

Gujarat is leaving no step unturned to promote Garbha and Dandiya as a focal point of toursim.

“Gujaratis across the world have made it famous. It’s a festival that forms the identity of the socio-cultural fabric of Gujarat and we can attract tourists into the state,” Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi said.

— PTI

 

Categories: Bollywood Music