A rare photo of Gujarati women doing Gof Dandiya in year 1916

The photograph presented above has been taken from R.V.Russell’ book that was published in year 1916.

The title of the photograph was ‘Gujarati girls doing figures with strings and sticks’.

It can be understood that the photograph is about Dandiya or Gof dance. Though Dandiya Raas is still in existence, Gof Raas is on the verge of extinction.

Russel was Indian Civil Service Superintendent of Ethnography in then Central Provinces. He prepared a book ‘The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India’. He was assisted by Rai Bahadur Hira Lal(Extra Assistant Commissioner). The book was published under the orders of the Central Province Administration.

If you liked this post, you would definitely like this one: Glimpses of early 20th century Gujarati ladies and their outfits