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Rhythmic dance
Think of Navaratri, and myriad pictures like Durga pooja, Ram Leelas and images of young men and women rhythmically dancing in colourful and attractive traditional wardrobes instantly comes to the mind. Though Navaratri is special to all Hindus and h
as the same message, which signifies the victory of ‘Good over evil’, but people from different states celebrate it in their own ways.
The nine-day festival has great significance for Gujaratis, who are engaged in all day fasting and dancing to their heart’s contentment at night. During the Utsav, the enthusiastic people from all walks of life participate in folk dances.
The city is abuzz with the religious fervour and cultural activities. One such event is organised by Shree Gujarati Samaj. Every night, people from different walks of life gather at Hawa Mahal on the beach Road unmindful of the working day ahead, only to meet enthusiastically the next day. Says Jayashri Kejriwal, a college student who has been coming here with her friends to participate, “I have enjoyed every moment of coming here, praying, dancing on the melodious numbers and relishing the chaat. After all, this occasion comes only once in a year and we get to enjoy to the brim along with our family and friends. I particularly enjoy ‘Garba Raas’ where we go around the deity, dancing in our customary attires with beads and mirrors, at night. The excitement peaks every time the dance begins and picks up momentum with the music becoming fast and then subsequently becoming slow. The pause between the two songs adds to the pleasure all the more, as we try to guess the next song.”
Another dance, which beholds a sight to watch or participate, is dandiya ras or ‘stick’ dance, in which men and women dance by striking small wooden sticks or ‘dandies’ together. The Samaj is holding competitions every day like ‘Best Dressed Couple’, ‘Best Aarti’ etc.
MANISHA GARG
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Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Mangalore
Puducherry
Tiruchirapalli
Thiruvananthapuram
Vijayawada
Visakhapatnam
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