A Garba event held at the historic Lukshmi Vilas Palace grounds in Vadodara has become a significant space for members of the LGBTQ community to participate without fear of judgment. Organised by Radhikaraje Gaekwad, she of the royal family, the event includes special category entry passes for LGBTQ participants, reinforcing the message that “devotion has no gender.”
According to a national daily, the initiative faced initial trolling and resistance but was driven by a commitment to create an inclusive space.
She calls this Garba “utopian” place, an “Indian pride parade” for the LGBTQ community. Participants can embrace their identities in a respectful and traditional way there. The event allows people to come together as a community.
Inspired by history
The family’s association with the transgender community has roots linked to an 18th-century temple dedicated to a deity worshipped by transgender people.
It granted them rights and a place in society. This legacy influences the current garba, where members of the LGBTQ community are given special registration and charged a nominal fee, as they insisted on paying to ensure safety and security.
Once inside, they dance alongside regular patrons and are sometimes brought to the core of the garba where the idol of the deity is installed to highlight their prominence.
Symbolic tree
The event, the report adds, also features a symbolic tree, where patrons can tie messages about equality, women’s safety, and other social wishes.
The Garba has become a space for self-expression and social acceptance. Many LGBTQ participants have said that their families have made peace with their identities.
Volunteers claim the event has shattered preconceived notions about the LGBTQ community.
The event allows people to dress and dance freely. Even men who wish to perform feminine dancing or cross-dress can come over.
The family also started a café run by transgender persons. This initiative provides further support to the community. Her work with the LGBTQ community began during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Radhikaraje helped coordinate relief efforts and set up vocational training programmes for community members. Through this, she built trust and fostered inclusion. She noticed that LGBTQ students mixed well with others in these training classes, with no signs of prejudice.
Unity and inclusivity
The celebrations stopped in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic. A year later it started again, this time with LGBTQ participation.
Many reputed artists from the LGBTQ community have graced the event.
Volunteers and brand ambassadors say there is an unspoken respect and acceptance among all attendees. Smiles are exchanged freely. There is no judgment. Unity and inclusivity shines through this event. At every step and with every beat, the message “devotion has no gender” is heard loud and clear.
Also Read: Dalit Woman Dragged From Gujarat Garba Event Amid Casteist Abuse https://www.vibesofindia.com/dalit-woman-dragged-from-gujarat-garba-event-amid-casteist-abuse/
