Author: Kanisha Shah
Nine nights for Goddess Durga Full of Dance and Songs People worship her image With flowers and prayers long May the Goddess bless us With precious gifts to mankind People praise her image Full of beauty divine!
In India, Navratri is celebrated in many states in different ways. It’s the longest festivals celebrated all over the world. People gather in open spaces to celebrate feminine divinity referred to as Shakti. Right now we are celebrating this festival with great enthusiasm. Happy aathmi to one and all.
As being Gujarati, Celebration of Navratri in Gujarat means a nine night festival full of Dance, music and lot of fun! People of all ages can be seen performing the garba. Just as pied the pipper plays his flute and lures away the children, the music of the navratri lures every Gujarati. Main attraction of this festival is the tradition and folk dance of gujarat- the garba. The atmosphere during this festival is eclectic and joyful. If you have visited this celebration you must have experienced the zeal and the fervour with which the people enjoy garba. The Khelaiyas as they are called start the preparation for these nine days long before the actual festival. They practice different styles and steps. Costumes and jewellery are chosen well in advance, the traditional and colourful chaniya chori for women and the dhoti kediya for the men. The music is alluring and enticing for those who are familiar with it, they cannot resist the allure. You will find people dancing to the music energetically till the wee hours. Many of songs begin slow and gradually speed up, sending the dancers into a trance, especially when the music and dance are in their rawest form.
If you have a Gujarati friend you must have heard ‘E, Halo!’ meaning come on let’s join the fun!
Ending this celebration in a unique way, the divinity of nine days with nine sentences, nine elements, nine thoughts, nine virtues, nine perceptions :
Power, energy of Goddess, glowing bright An infinity chant of sacred words Divine and Victorious hymes that stuns our minds Goddess staring down Her painted pupils cut through smoke Read the secret thought we think Somehow we feel this within our heart With wisdom and tranquility we Bow and pray Her form not just the image of clay.
About the Author:
Kanisha Shah has done her Masters in Philosophy ( Commerce and Management field ). She served as an Assistant Professor in one of the private college. She started her writing journey few years back. She is a passionate writer, reader , singer and listener.
