Parsi women and girls dance the garba

In this work, eight women and girls in white saris with dark embroidered borders (commonly worn by the Parsi community in western India) hold sticks and the end of ribbons which are tied together in a central location above them. They are performing the Garba, a dance form originating in Gujarat and usually performed during the nine-day Hindu festival of Navaratri, which honours the goddess Durga. In the past, such rituals were cultural events involving communities of different religions. Garba is performed in a circular motion, symbolic of the Hindu view of cyclic time, around a lamp or an icon of the goddess. Its association with light or fire may have had cross-over appeal to the Parsi community. The dark setting in this image suggests the presence of a lamp somewhere outside the frame. The modern Garba is influenced by Dandiya, a dance or form of play involving hitting sticks with a partner and thus requiring an even number of participants. Innovations in the Garba overtime include tieing and untieing threads hung on a pole in the centre resembling the Maypole dance (S. Mehta and G. L. Mehta, "Garba," in Usha Sharma, ed. Festivals in Indian Society Vol. 2, 2008:144).

This work is an enlarged photograph that has been painted over with monochrome colours so as to still resemble a photograph. Paint allowed artists and photo studios to sharpen the edges in an image that had been dulled through enlargement. It was likely made to commemorate a special occassion. The style of draping the end (pallu) of the sari from back to front over one shoulder was common among the Parsi community since at least the 19th century. That it is associated with the Gujarati style of wearing the sari today may reflect their Gujarati origins in India and their importance among merchant groups of the region.

Zoroastrianism is a monotheistic religion that originated in ancient Persia, now known as Iran, formed by the prophet Zarathushtra (Zoroaster in Greek) around 1600 B.C.E. Zoroastrians believe in the three-fold path, found in their motto, "Good thoughts, good words, good deeds." Prayers and symbolism play an important role in ritual life which revolves around sacred fires. Fire is believed to be the embodiment of Ahura Mazda –the God of Zarathushtra. Zoroastrians believe that the misuse of freedom and undesirable thinking have flawed the corporeal world that was created ideal and perfect by the Creator. It is the duty of the human beings to bring the world back to its Pristine state through Righteous thinking. The first group of Zoroastrians arrived in South Asia in 936 C.E and are known as Parsis. The source of Zarathushti religion is a body of texts called the Avesta.