Garba is a traditional dance form from the northwestern Indian state of Gujarat, which is performed in communal gathering spaces in the center of the village with the entire community participating. The word "garba" is also used to refer to the event at which the garba is performed. Garba is performed during Navratri, the longest and largest dance festival in the world, which is observed with nine nights of dancing as a form of veneration and worship. During Navratri, men and women dance late into the night in honor of Durga, the female Hindu goddess of strength, motherhood, and destruction. Garba is a dance that honors, worships, and celebrates the feminine form of divinity, and it is performed in a circle around a clay lantern with a light inside, called a garbha deep ("womb lamp"). The garbha deep is a symbol of the body, within whom divinity resides. Garba is also performed during social events such as weddings and parties. The dance is layered with symbolism of the feminine divine and cyclical nature of life. To represent life and the cyclical nature of life, dancers form a circle and often use dandiya, or sticks, as part of the dance. The dress code for Garba night for women consists of traditional three-piece colorful and ethnic attires – chaniya or ghagra (long skirt), choli (blouse), and dupatta (scarf). Garba is a Hindu cultural dance, which is usually performed during the festival of Navratri.