mano garbo re- understanding of the Garbo and beyond

 Here is my attempt to explain the words of a Garba. We can take every song for its most literal meaning or we can try and understand the context and connect with society. Here I try to do a bit of both. The word Garbo comes from the sanskrit word Garbh , which means the womb. But why is the womb celebrated and worshipped? what does the womb symbolise?  To me it is a fertile place that creates something, and hence the Garbo symbolises that creative space, something that has the ability to expand,  the universe, a safe space for everything to thrive within. The word Garbo is used for the dance form, the song and a clay pot with a lamp in it which symbolically represents the womb. The following is a very old Garbo. One that we hardly hear nowadays however one that I have heard both  my grandmother and my mom sing. 

Maano Garbo re Rame raaj ne Darbar

Maano garbo re rame raaj ne darbaar
ramto bhamto re aavyo suthaari ne dwar
ali suthaari ni naar, tu to suti hoy to jaag
maa ne garbe re, rudaa baajoth melaav.

Maano garbo re rame raaj ne darbaar
ramto bhamto re aavyo kumbhaari ne dwar
ali kumbhaari ni naar, tu to suti hoy to jaag
maa ne garbe re, rudaa kodiyaa melaav..

Maano garbo re rame raaj ne darbaar

ramto bhamto re aavyo sonidaa ne dwar
ali sonidaa ni naar, tu to suti hoy to jaag
maa ne garbe re, rudaa haarlaa melaav..

Maano garbo re rame raaj ne darbaar

ramto bhamto re aavyo dholida ne dwar
ali dholidaa ni naar, tu to suti hoy to jaag
maa ne garbe re, rudaa dhol vagdaav…

.

The literal translation is this. 

The Garbo/ the womb/the universe created by Ma the Goddess/ Mother is celebrating. 

It goes from one place to another and reaches the carpenters door. (The women of the village call out) “Oh the wife of the carpenter, please wake up”“please set a beautiful platform for ma’s garba”. (Asking the woman of the house to contribute in celebrating the garbo) 

Similarly it goes from one home to another.  This is a tran talk garbo ( three claps) , specifically done by women during Navratri and hence in the song it is women calling out to other women. Calling them out as wife of so and so. In a village, there is no delineation of professional and personal lives. Husband and wife share chores involved in running both aspects of their lives. 

Though it a simple song it is saying something very meaningful. It highlights the contribution of different individuals to build a society.  It makes us realise that we are all creators in some way or the other and we contribute in making our world what it is.  When we come together and acknowledge our different contributions, we learn to respect each other. We realise that everyone matters.  At a simplistic level this Garbo talks about the diverse professions in a village and how their tiny world pays respects to every profession ie. the carpenter, potter, jeweller and the drummer.  It brings forth the idea of social harmony and dignity of work. In a country where the caste systems left artisans and  labourers out of the elite brahminical circles, the garbo seems to indicate a way to equalise the society as every one is asked to join into the circle.