--> Skip to main content


How To Keep Garba At Home?

By

Organizing Garba at home is a beautiful way to honor the Goddess and celebrate the festival of Navratri in Hinduism. Here’s a detailed guide covering the spiritual, practical, and traditional aspects of keeping Garba at home, including prayers, routines, and lesser-known facts.

1. Preparation and Planning

  • Choose the Right Space: Select a clean, open space in your home to set up the Garba shrine and for participants to dance around. Preferably, this area should face east or north.
  • Decorate the Space: Use bright-colored fabrics, rangoli, flowers (especially marigold), and lights. Place a beautifully decorated Garbo (a traditional pot, often earthen or metallic) as the centerpiece.
  • Install the Deity’s Image/Idol: Place an idol or picture of Goddess Durga or her forms (such as Amba, Jagdamba, or Chandraghanta) in the center. A lamp (diya) is placed within or near the Garbo to symbolize divine energy.

2. Methods and Rituals

  • Kalash Sthapana (Sacred Installation):
    • Place a kalash (water-filled pot) with a coconut on top, wrapped with a red cloth, at the center.
    • Surround it with grains (usually wheat or rice) to signify prosperity.
    • Light a diya near the kalash that should remain lit throughout the nine days of Navratri.
  • Daily Aarti: Conduct morning and evening aarti using a camphor lamp and incense sticks while singing devotional songs (bhajans) such as "Ambe Tu Hai Jagdambe Kaali" or "Jai Adhya Shakti".

3. Prayers and Mantras

  • Recite or chant the following mantras:
    • Durga Mantra:
      “Ya Devi Sarva Bhuteshu Shakti Rupena Samsthita,
      Namastasyai, Namastasyai, Namastasyai Namo Namah”
      (Salutations to the Goddess who resides in all beings in the form of power.)
    • Navarna Mantra:
      “Om Aim Hreem Kleem Chamundaye Vichche” (Invoking Goddess Durga for blessings and protection.)
    • Gayatri Mantra for Goddess Durga:
      “Om Katyayanaya Vidmahe, Kanyakumari Dhimahi, Tanno Durgi Prachodayat”

4. Daily Routine

  • Morning Rituals:
    1. Wake up early, take a bath, and wear fresh traditional clothes.
    2. Offer fresh flowers, kumkum, and rice to the Goddess.
    3. Light the diya and recite prayers.
    4. Perform the first aarti of the day.
  • Evening Rituals:
    1. Clean the Garba area and refresh decorations.
    2. Light the diya again and recite the Durga Chalisa or other sacred texts.
    3. Conduct the second aarti with devotion and bhajans.

5. Discipline and Direction

  • Fasting Guidelines: Many devotees observe fasts during Navratri, consuming fruits, milk, and simple sattvic (pure) meals made of singhara (water chestnut) flour, sabudana (tapioca), and vrat-special items.
  • Direction of Prayer: Sit facing the east while praying for maximum spiritual benefits.
  • Dress Code: Wear clean, traditional attire, preferably in the colors associated with each day of Navratri.

6. Garba Dance

  • Garba is performed around the centerpiece, symbolizing the cyclical nature of life. Participants clap or use dandiya sticks while moving rhythmically.
  • Songs often praise the Goddess and narrate her deeds. Traditional Garba songs are sung in Gujarati or Hindi.
  • Tip: Encourage everyone to maintain a clockwise direction to symbolize harmony with cosmic order.

7. Lesser-Known Facts

  • Garba Symbolism: The pot (Garbo) represents the universe, while the diya within symbolizes the divine soul.
  • Days of Navratri: Each day is dedicated to a specific form of the Goddess:
    • Day 1: Shailputri – Strength
    • Day 2: Brahmacharini – Devotion
    • Day 3: Chandraghanta – Courage
    • Day 4: Kushmanda – Creation
    • Day 5: Skandamata – Motherhood
    • Day 6: Katyayani – Warrior
    • Day 7: Kaalratri – Destruction of Negativity
    • Day 8: Mahagauri – Purity
    • Day 9: Siddhidatri – Fulfillment

8. Practical Suggestions

  • Safety: Ensure the diya is placed securely and monitor children during rituals.
  • Inclusive Participation: Encourage family members, neighbors, and friends to join in prayers and Garba.
  • Music Setup: Use traditional instruments like dhol or tablas, or play Garba tracks on a speaker for a lively atmosphere.
  • Charity: Dedicate some part of the celebrations to charity, reflecting the Goddess's nurturing spirit.

9. Concluding the Celebration

  • On the 10th day (Dussehra or Vijayadashami), immerse the kalash water in a river or pour it in your garden to symbolize the return of the divine to nature.
  • Perform a final aarti, thanking the Goddess for her blessings.

By following these steps, you can create a spiritual, joyful, and fulfilling Garba experience at home, rooted in devotion and tradition.