A garba night invitation needs the night or nights, the start time, the venue, the dress code and whether guests need a pass to get in. For a society or office event, add the aarti time, food, parking and a contact person. Send it about two weeks before Navratri, and a short reminder on the day.
Who's hosting changes what you write
| Host | Details guests need | Tone |
|---|---|---|
| Housing society | Which nights, passes for residents' guests, aarti time, food stalls, end time | Friendly and clear |
| A family, at home or in a hall | Usually one night, the venue, dinner, dandiya sticks if you provide them | Warm and personal |
| An office | Date, venue, transport, whether families are invited, dress code | Festive but professional |
| A community or samaj | Passes, entry gates, security, rules, prize categories | Formal, with rules stated plainly |
What to include
- Nights and dates. If the event runs all nine nights, say so, and mark any special night, such as ashtami or a night with live singers.
- Aarti time and garba start time. Garba usually begins after the aarti to Mataji, and many regulars come for the aarti itself.
- Venue and entry. The ground or hall, which gate to use, and whether a pass or this invitation must be shown.
- Dress code. Chaniya choli and kediyu are usual. If you follow a colour for each night, list the colours.
- Food. Snacks, dinner or stalls, and whether there's farali food for those who are fasting.
- End time. Loudspeakers have to stop at the time your city allows, so print the end time and keep to it.
- A contact person who can answer questions about passes on the night.
Some societies follow the nine colours of Navratri that are announced each year, a custom especially popular in Maharashtra. If yours does, the invitation is the easiest place to publish the list, one colour per night.
Wording samples
Names, places and times in these samples are examples.
Jai Mataji
Shanti Park Residents' Association invites you
to Navratri Garba 2026
All nine nights
Aarti at 8:30 pm, garba from 9 pm
Central lawn, Shanti Park, Vastrapur
Residents' guests: please collect passes from the society office.
Traditional dress, please.
Mataji's garba at our home
Join the Patel family for an evening of garba and dinner
Saturday, 8:30 pm onwards
Terrace, Shreeji Bungalows, Satellite, Ahmedabad
Dandiya sticks will be there. Chaniya choli and kediyu welcome.
Navratri Garba Night
The team is going to the garba, and so are you.
Friday, 7:30 pm to 10:30 pm
Club Lawns, SG Highway, Ahmedabad
Families welcome. Transport from the office at 7 pm.
Dress code: traditional
॥ જય માતાજી ॥
નવરાત્રિ ગરબા મહોત્સવ
મા અંબેના આશીર્વાદ સાથે
આપ સહપરિવાર ગરબે ઘૂમવા પધારશોજી.
આરતી: રાત્રે 8:30 વાગ્યે
ગરબા: રાત્રે 9:00 વાગ્યાથી
સ્થળ: શાંતિ પાર્ક, વસ્ત્રાપુર, અમદાવાદ
Passes and entry
At a large society or community garba, the invitation often doubles as the entry pass. Organisers usually handle it in one of these ways:
- Residents register their guests with the society office in advance, and the gate keeps a list.
- The invitation carries a line such as “Please show this invitation at Gate 2”, and volunteers check it.
- Passes are issued per person, printed or digital, for events with a capacity limit.
Whichever you choose, say it on the invitation. The most common complaint at a society garba is a guest who wasn't told they needed a pass.
For organisers: a simple timeline
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 3 to 4 weeks before | Book the ground or hall, the singers or DJ, sound and lights; check whether your city needs a police or municipal permission for loudspeakers |
| 2 weeks before | Send the invitation; open guest registration or pass collection |
| 1 week before | Share the colour list and any rules; confirm food stalls and volunteers |
| Each special night | Send a short reminder in the afternoon |
Rain, changes and reminders
Navratri sometimes brings late rain in parts of the country. If you have a backup, such as a covered hall or a change of date, mention it on the invitation. A digital invitation helps here, because an update reaches everyone on the same link. Send a short reminder on the afternoon of each special night.
Designing the invitation
Garba invitations usually carry Ambe Ma or a garbo, the pierced pot with a lamp inside that dancers circle, along with dandiya sticks, mirror work, bandhani patterns and bright colours. Deep red, marigold and green are common, and a dark background with gold and mirror details reads well on a phone at night.
You can start from the garba templates, or describe the look to ShubhLink AI as the AI invitation maker guide shows. The advice in why families share invitations on WhatsApp applies just as well to a society group, and more festival guides are collected under festivals.
Questions people ask
When should a garba invitation be sent?
About two weeks before Navratri for a society or community event, and a week before for a family garba. Send a reminder on the day of any special night.
Can the invitation be used as an entry pass?
Yes, many societies ask guests to show the invitation at the gate. Say so on the invitation, and keep a list at the gate for guests whose phones run out of battery.
What should guests wear to a garba night?
Chaniya choli for women and kediyu or kurta for men are traditional. If your event follows a colour for each night, list the colours on the invitation.
What is the difference between garba and dandiya?
Garba is danced in circles with claps and turns around the garbo or an image of the goddess. Dandiya raas is danced in pairs with decorated sticks. Many Navratri nights include both.
Filed under Festivals
Written by ShubhLink Editorial Team
The team behind ShubhLink's invitation templates and ShubhLink AI. We write down what families ask us most, and check each guide before it goes live.