Kutch 'dalits' defy tradition for garba

Members of the community were not invited to garbas organised by other castes

BHUJ: Navratri this year marks a new beginning for more than 100 villages in the western Kutch talukas of Abadasa, Lakhapat and Nakhatrana. The scheduled castes (SCs), scheduled tribes (STs) and backward classes of these villages have finally stepped out of the shadows of the forward castes and, for the first time, organised their own garbas to express devotion to the Mother Goddess.

Ramesh Arjan Balia, a dalit leader of Meghpar village in Lakhpat taluka, said this has been made possible by the Shyamji Krishna Verma Charitable Trust that has been working for the welfare of the downtrodden in the area.

“We, too, are staunch devotees of the Goddess but, because we are dalits, we have never been invited to take part in the dandiya-garba raas organised in the village during Navratri every year,” said Balia. “This year, for the first time, we organised garbas in our locality.”

Karamsi Bhimji Rabari, a patrol community leader of Samjiyari village (also in Lakhpat taluka) said his community was unable to organise its own garba-dandiya raas earlier because it did not have the money to pay for the expenses involved.

“There were no garbas for us in the village earlier,” Rabari said. “This year, we were given tents, mikes, lights and all the material and equipment required to organise garbas. We have, at last, organised and participated in the raas with our womenfolk and children, and been able to worship Mother Durga as we always wanted to.’’

Similar sentiments were expressed by Mitha Pathai of the Koli community in Tera village of Abadasa taluka, and Sangramji Budhubha of Amiya village in Lakhapat.