In Frames: Legend of Saduma lives on as Barot men don saris and perform garba

IN The narrow, labyrinth strips, walls of the old city of Ahmedabad whisper the centuries -old stories, live traditions both unusual and beautiful. Saduma is still observed by Saduma, a woman from the barotic community whose memory is still in a ritual.

The legend dates back to 1816 when under Ahmedabad’s Maratha administration. According to a reintegration of the story, the ruler of the city, which was fascinated by Saduma’s charm, wanted to be brought to his palace. But he resisted the sadness. He asked his husband to finish his life with a sword instead of surrendering to the whims of the ruler. He could only get a minor injury and Saduma cursed his own community in his pain.

Over the years, the barotic community tried to atonement. In every navratri Ashtami, they promised that the men from the community would make Saris and make Garba in memory of Saduma. This symbolic inversion – men wearing women’s clothes – was an act of atonement, commemoration and commitment.

Two centuries later tradition continues, a testament against legendary and cultural memory. Each year, ritual is carried out with a quiet intensity that creates a sharp contrast with large commercialized garba celebrations elsewhere.

The men in Saris dance from the strips and keep Saduma’s story alive at every step.

On September 29, an event was organized by the writer Jhaverchand Meghani, a writer Jhaverchand Meghani, on the eighth night of Navratri. The event attracted more than 180 visitors in a community hall for performance, performance and subsequent discussion.

In these silent rituals, Ahmedabad Old City reminds us that history is not only remembered in books, but also experienced, realized and celebrated. Ritual is performed only once a year.

Based on the barotic community, he saw that many young men from outside the community were wearing yellows and joined the dance this year.

Orum I wear a yellow, and for the last 15 years I make every navratri Ashtami every navratri astami, to satisfy Saduma and to look for the blessings for peace and prosperity in our barotic community. Many men from outside the community should wear yellow in a very simple way:

Permanent Payment: A barotic man performs rituals before Vanhavali, a record of the history of the community in Ahmedabad.

Hymns Night: A group of men create songs before the Garba Performance at Saduma Temple

Small Steps: There is no age bar about who can join. A young child from the community endures his house for dance.

Keeping faith: Bangles adorns the hands of a barot man as the ritual in Navratri Ashtami is preparing to look for blessings for peace and prosperity in the community.

Sari and Stories: The men of the barotic community came out of their homes wearing women’s clothes as part of a century -old tradition for Garba in Navratri Ashtami

In the field: Women help BAROT men to prepare for the event that keeps Saduma’s story alive. This year, some men from outside the community joined Garba in Ahmedabad

By turning the curse to the customs: She sings during the Garba in memory of Barot Men Saduma, applauding and twirl.

Annual penance: A young child from the community makes rituals at the Temple of Saduma.

Passed: A male and child is looking forward to joining the dance