The streets of Ahmedabad rang with the vivid rhythm of the Rajasthani Gair Mahotsav. Kept up each Holi season by the city’s Rajasthani samaj, this folk tradition draws crowds year after year.
The energy of the Gair dance
The spirited performance of Gair dance and music offered a glimpse of Rajasthan’s rich cultural heritage.
Onlookers join in
Large numbers gathered to watch the performance and joined in the festive mood of Holi.
Gair — Rajasthan’s community dance
Gair is a traditional group dance of Rajasthan, particularly of the Marwar and Mewar regions, performed around Holi. Men dance in a circle with wooden sticks in hand, keeping time to the beat of the dhol, thali and chang. The crack of the sticks meeting is what marks the dance out.
A folk tradition in the city
That it has travelled from village lanes to the streets of a metropolis is proof of how alive this tradition remains.
A tradition that takes to the street
What distinguishes Gair is that it is not staged in a closed hall but moves through streets and lanes like a procession. That draws in people who never planned to attend anything at all — and it is why the tradition becomes a celebration for the whole neighbourhood.
