Home › Junagadh Festivals › Music & Dandiya
FOLK · DANDIYA · SAURASHTRAMusic & Dandiya
Junagadh keeps the folk beat of Saurashtra alive — dandiya-raas and garba, the soulful dayro of Kathiyawadi singers, and dhol-driven nights where whole towns dance in ring after spinning ring.
The folk rhythm of Kathiyawad
Junagadh sits in the heart of Saurashtra, a land with a deep folk-music tradition. Here dandiya-raas — the paired-stick dance — and the circling garba are more than Navratri set-pieces; they are living community art, danced at fairs and weddings the year round. Alongside them thrives the dayro, an evening of Kathiyawadi song and storytelling led by folk singers whose verses can move a crowd to tears or laughter.
Song passed down the generations
Saurashtra has one of India's densest folk-music traditions, and Junagadh sits at the centre of it, with singers and troupes working the district's fairs and weddings all year.
Garba is the circle dance, performed around a central lamp or shrine to the goddess, and it is participatory — the ring simply grows as people join.
Raas is danced with paired sticks, in facing lines or circles, and the rhythm is carried by the sticks striking as much as by the drum.
These are not seasonal set-pieces. Weddings, village fairs and temple festivals keep them going right through the year.
Why come
Dandiya-raas
Dandiya-raas is danced with a pair of sticks each, partners moving through the figures and striking on the beat.
Garba
Garba circles anticlockwise around a lamp or shrine, building speed as the night goes on.
Dayro
The dayro is an evening of Kathiyawadi song and storytelling, and a good singer can hold a crowd for hours.
Dhol beat
The dhol sets everything. The dance follows the drummer, not the other way round.
Folk dress
Chaniya choli and kediyu in mirror-work and bandhani are worn for the big nights, and the costume is half the spectacle.
All join in
During Navratri whole towns turn out, with grounds and streets given over to nine nights of dancing.
What to see
THE DANCERaas-garba
Raas and garba danced in concentric rings, the outer circles moving slower than the inner.
THE SONGDayro
The dayro — Kathiyawadi voices, verse and story, performed through the night.
How to experience it
Find a dayro
Find a dayro at a village fair or wedding, where the form still happens for its own audience.
Feel the dhol
Listen to the dhol first. Once you have the beat, the structure of the dance becomes obvious.
Learn the steps
Watch raas properly — the stick work is more technical than it looks, and the good dancers are very good.
Join a ring
Join the garba circle. It is participatory by design and beginners are pulled in rather than tolerated.
Dress the part
Look at the costume — mirror-work chaniya choli and kediyu, much of it made locally in bandhani.
Stay late
Come during Navratri in September or October for the peak, when the whole district dances for nine nights.
A living community art
Saurashtra’s folk culture is famously warm and expressive. The dayro, in particular, is a treasured form — a folk singer with a harmonium and a knack for storytelling can hold a village spellbound past midnight, weaving devotion, humour and history. Together with raas-garba, it makes Junagadh’s nights ring with a music that belongs to everyone.
Planning more of the area? Our Junagadh guide covers the whole district.
Timing
Navratri in September or October is the peak — nine nights of continuous garba and raas across the district.
The winter wedding season keeps dayro and folk performance going through the cooler months.
Village melas run through much of the year, and they are where the traditions live outside festival season.
⏰ Folk dance and dayro run year-round at fairs and weddings, but peak spectacularly during Navratri (Sep–Oct).
Getting there
By Air
Rajkot / Keshod.
By Rail
Junagadh Junction.
By Road
Across the district.
More in Junagadh
MAHA SHIVRATRI
Bhavnath Mela
Sadhus, naga ascetics and all-night bhajans at Girnar’s foot. Explore →
KARTIK
Girnar Parikrama
Once a year in Kartik, tens of thousands walk the Lili Parikrama — a 36-kilometre circuit through the forests around Mount Girnar, a moving river of pilgrims, fires and folk devotion. Explore →
WILD
Lion Country
Junagadh is the old gateway to lion country — the princely city whose Nawab first shielded the last Asiatic lions, and the doorstep to the Gir forest where they still roam. Explore →
SUMMER
Kesar Season
Each summer the orchards around Junagadh and Talala turn golden with Gir Kesar — the saffron-hued “queen of mangoes,” a GI-tagged fruit whose fragrance defines the season. Explore →
What to eat
THALIKathiyawadi Thali
Spicy and rustic.
ROTLOBajra Rotlo
With white butter.
GHUGHRAGhughra
Sweet parcels.
CHAASChaas
Spiced buttermilk.
Music & Dandiya FAQ
What is dandiya-raas?
A Gujarati folk dance performed with pairs of decorated sticks struck in rhythm, often in circles.
What is a dayro?
An evening of Kathiyawadi folk song and storytelling led by folk singers, hugely popular across Saurashtra.
When is folk dance at its peak?
During Navratri (September–October), though it features at fairs and weddings all year.
Can visitors join in?
Yes — garba and raas are welcoming circle dances that anyone can learn and join.
What instrument drives it?
The dhol drum sets the beat, often with harmonium and folk singers for the dayro.
Where can I see it in Junagadh?
At Navratri grounds, community events, fairs and weddings across the district.
Across Gujarat
HERITAGEPrabhas Patan
An ancient holy town with a fine museum
Chhab Lake Shrines
Lakeside temples in Dahod
Ramnath Mahadev
An old and revered Shiva temple
WILDLIFEJessore Sanctuary
A refuge for the Indian sloth bear
Polo Forest Ruins
The Polo Forest Ruins are a group of old temples and stepwells hidden within the forested…
Khodaldham Kagvad
A vast, gleaming modern temple to Khodiyar Mata at Kagvad — Khodaldham, the grand spiritual seat…
WHERE TO STAY
Find your stay in Gujarat
Compare live prices across the big booking sites and reserve in a few taps. Booking happens securely on the partner's site — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Book directly on our partner sites — tap a provider to see live Gujarat hotels & prices:
SHOP THE REGION
Bring home Gujarat — & travel essentials
Hand-picked crafts and trip gear, available on Amazon.
Published 24 June 2026 · Updated 3 July 2026