While colourful chania-cholis and new dance steps dominate other garbas in the city, there's just time for Amba Mata's aradhana here every day between 9 pm and 11.30 pm on the nine festive nights.

Accompanied only by Amba Mata's garba songs -- in fact, people say this is the best place to catch songs like Ma pavate ghadh thi and Sonano garbo sire -- around 400 men dance around solemnly following the ek taali ane tran taali steps. The occasional 10-year-old girl who might introduce a spot of colour, you can be sure, is just an aberration.

As with most customs, no one is quite certain why girls should be a rarity at the Amba Mata garba. ``This has been the tradition for ages'', says priest Arun Pandit. Octogenarian Hargovind Modi says he remembers that this was the way things were done even when he was a child.

``It's not that women are considered apavitra'', Pandit hastens to add. ``In fact, young girls are worshipped during the Navratri. But this garba, somehow, has always been for men. Though many women come to watch the garba, and even sing along with the men, no one has dared join in yet.''

Adds an elderly resident of the area, ``I've been performing the garba for many years now, but have never questioned tradition.'' Girish Pandit, another local resident, believes that the garba here has been premises exclusively for the male for more than 150 years now.

While opinions on the origins of the garba may vary, many feel devotion to Amba Mata is most palpable here. ``Nothing stops them'', says Pandit. ``Not even heavy rains or even a curfew. Whatever be the hindrances, the devotees perform at least five garbas.''

If popular garba have lucrative prizes like gift vouchers and vehicles for the best dancers, there are rewards here to. But of course, since this is not just any run-of-the-mill garba, the prizes are for every one who participates: It is said that if anyone sings Maa's anando garbo every day of Navratri, his wishes will come true.

Pandit claims that it is so by virtue of his own experience. ``After three daughters and 24 years of being married, I wa blessed with a son'', he says. ``People whose wishes come true give lahnis (tokens) like steel bowls or glasses'', adds another regular at the Amba Mata garba.

Their's might not be the most impressive garba of all those in town; their steps may not keep pace with the garba or the dholak beats, which have been amplified by loudspeakers only for the past 10 years. But they enjoy themselves, and as Pandit says, are totally maamaiye (devoted to the goddess). Isn't that what the festive spirit is all about?