Navratri doesn’t really begin until the first dhol hits. For nine nights, the playlist is as important as the dance, and the best songs do two things at once: they honor the folk traditions they come from and keep the circle moving for hours. This list pairs Gujarati folk favorites with the Bollywood and indie tracks that have become part of the season’s soundtrack. Here are 10 to put on repeat.
“Gori Radha Ne Kalo Kaan” - Kirtidan Gadhvi
A traditional Gujarati garba built around the playful Radha-Krishna contrast of its title, delivered in the kind of folk style that gets a crowd clapping in unison.
“Dholida Dhol Re Vagad” - Rupal Doshi
A drum-driven garba that puts the dhol front and center, with Doshi’s vocals riding the rhythm.
“Gori Tame Manda Lidha Mohi Raj” - Umesh Barot and Ishani Dave
A playful Gujarati garba love song, with the two vocalists trading lines over a brisk, danceable beat.
“Moti Veraana” - Amit Trivedi feat. Osman Mir
A Gujarati devotional dandiya number from Trivedi’s Songs of Faith, and a Navratri regular since it dropped in the early ’20s.
“Pankhida Tu Udi Jaje” - Rupal Doshi and Kishore Manraja
A lilting Gujarati folk song addressed to a little bird, which slows the pace just enough to let the circle breathe.
“Kesariyo Rang” - Asees Kaur, Dev Negi and Lijo George
A pop-leaning garba from the early ’20s that pairs Lijo George and DJ Chetas’s production with Asees Kaur and Dev Negi’s vocals, written for the modern dance floor.
“Ramo Re” - Jigardan Gadhavi
High-energy Gujarati folk from one of the genre’s best-known voices, made for the faster rounds of the night.
“Dholida” - Janhvi Shrimankar and Shail Hada
The Sanjay Leela Bhansali-composed showstopper from Gangubai Kathiawadi, an early-’20s film hit that has become one of the most-played garba songs of recent years.
“Navlaakhaai Lobadiyaliyu” - Aditya Gadhvi
A traditional Gujarati folk song that has become a Navratri regular, recorded for Gadhvi’s album Ochhav. His earthy voice and spare, percussion-led arrangement keep it close to its folk roots.
“Nagada Sang Dhol” - Shreya Ghoshal and Osman Mir
Another Bhansali standout, from Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela, a 2010s favorite that still opens garba nights with its thunderous percussion and Ghoshal’s powerhouse vocals.
Whether you’re dancing in a packed pandal or just queuing up a playlist at home, these tracks cover the full range of the season, from centuries-old folk melodies to Bollywood reinventions of them. Put them on, find a circle, and keep the beat going.
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Navratri
