When India celebrates Navratri, Karachi dances too: How Pakistan's garba nights echo Gujarat's beats

In Karachi, the rhythms of Gujarat continue to echo through Navratri celebrations, weddings and community gatherings, keeping a centuries-old cultural connection alive across the India-Pakistan border. From traditional Gujarati folk songs to Bollywood garba favourites, the dance has become a way for Gujarati-speaking communities to preserve their heritage, while a new initiative aims to bring people from different religious backgrounds together. In neighbourhoods such as Narayanpura, Ranchhor Lane and Keamari, garba remains part of the festive calendar. Hindu families organise celebrations during Navratri, while Gujarati Muslims participate in the dance at weddings and other social events. For some, it is an expression of devotion; for others, it is a way to stay connected to their Gujarati roots.

Karachi temples host Navratri garba celebrations

The Shree Ratneshwar Mahadev temple and the Swaminarayan temple are among the venues associated with garba celebrations in Karachi. Events range from smaller neighbourhood gatherings to larger organised programmes, with music and dance bringing participants together during the festive season.

However, organisers must also account for security arrangements. Amarshi Bhatti, 46, who works in Karachi’s health department, told TOI that bouncers are hired for celebrations.


“We have to arrange bouncers. But it has seldom happened that a garba in Karachi has led to a clash or tension,” Bhatti said, according to the report.

Gujarati folk songs and Bollywood hits bring Karachi’s garba floors alive

Traditional Gujarati songs continue to be an essential part of garba celebrations in Karachi. Pankhida re udi jaajo, a folk song that evokes a bird carrying a message towards a goddess in Gujarat, remains familiar to local audiences.

Other traditional numbers, including Umbre ubhi sambhlu re bol, feature alongside Bollywood favourites such as Dholi taro dhol baaje and Chogada tara. The mix of folk and film music has helped attract younger participants to the celebrations.

According to Ramesh Mana, an 84-year-old social activist and columnist who has followed Karachi’s garba traditions for decades, the celebrations remain closely connected to those across the border.

“There is no difference between garba in Pakistan and garba in India,” Mana said, as quoted in a report by TOI.

Gujarati Muslims also keep the garba tradition alive

Garba in Karachi is not confined to Hindu religious celebrations. Gujarati Muslim families also perform the dance at weddings and social gatherings, maintaining a cultural tradition that has travelled across generations.

Hyder Khoja, who leads a movement to preserve the Gujarati language in Karachi, told TOI that participation in garba has grown over the past decade, with people outside Gujarati-speaking communities also taking an interest.

Senior journalist and Gujarati linguist Syed Abdul Rehman has attributed some of this growing interest to social media, which has exposed younger Pakistanis to cultural traditions and festivals beyond their immediate communities.

There are also distinct practices within Muslim communities. Khoja Ismaili Muslims, for instance, perform garba on October 12 to mark the birthday of their 50th imam, according to the report. Khoja noted that attitudes towards music, dance and participation vary across Muslim communities.

Karachi influencer plans inclusive garba night on October 25

A new initiative aims to take the shared cultural tradition beyond individual community circles. Eruj Fatima, a Karachi-based influencer who recently graduated in New York, is organising a garba night on October 25 that will be open to people of all religions.

Fatima said she noticed after returning to Pakistan that people from different communities participated in garba but often celebrated within their own social circles. She wants the event to provide a space where people can meet and celebrate together.

For Fatima, the appeal of garba lies in its ability to bring strangers together through music and dance, regardless of their backgrounds.

The planned event seeks to build on Karachi’s existing garba culture by encouraging wider participation. While the dance retains its religious significance for many, it also offers Gujarati-speaking communities a way to preserve their language, music and cultural identity.

Across Karachi’s neighbourhoods, the familiar songs and circular dance formations continue to connect people with Gujarat. The October 25 gathering aims to extend that connection further, creating a shared space for communities to celebrate a tradition that has endured across borders.


Inputs from TOI