"The garba is a dance done primarily by women (though there are always some men who join in) who dance in concentric circles. Usually, the innermost circles have the most complicated steps, and the outer rings are more like people just walking in a circle and clapping. The garba dance can last hours, but you don’t have to do it the whole time—people join and leave constantly, and there are usually equal numbers of people on and off the dance floor. The song is pretty repetitive, but it speeds up as time goes on, so it’s fun and frenetic at the end. Garbas tend to have a carnival atmosphere: lots of kids running around, no alcohol, loud music, and it will probably get hot and sweaty with the dancing."All right! Now that I know what to expect (-ish), I have to figure out what to wear. Janet W solved that dilemna for me by loaning me the spare salwar kameez sets she's picked up in her years here. These outfits, popularly called punjabis after the Punjab people who wear them, are made up of three seperate pieces: wide trousers (the salvar) that taper at the ankle; a long, dress-like top (the kameez); and, if the wearer is female, a shawl or scarf that can double as a head-covering.
Although I appreciate Janet's generosity, I've been reluctant to accept the clothing. I tower over the Indian women at church, so how could I possibly fit into outfits that were created for them? Fortunately, when I finally unfolded the first option on loan to me, I encountered a wonderful surprise: Indian garb is one-size-fits-all!
The garments are intended to be loose and flowing enough to fit any size, and each opening ties shut to allow adjustment. Honestly, anyone could wear these clothes! What a very ingenious idea. I wish Western clothing were as simple and lovely as these punjabis I've been loaned!Now that I've decided what to wear, there's only one thing left to do: attempt the dance!
