more-in The clashing sound of dandiya sticks will resonate in the community hall as Gujaratis in the city celebrate Navratri festivities, grooving to garba and dandiya beats. With traditional tracks taking the centrestage, Sree Gujarati Samaj is geared up for nine-day festival from Thursday at Maharashtra mandal, Asilmetta here. Apart from performing puja and aarti to goddess Durga, an earthen pot with lamps will be kept at the venue as an embodiment of life and energy during the celebrations. After devoting considerable time to devotional activities, men, women and children will head to the dance floor to match steps with one another to dandiya and garba tracks. Members of the samaj say response for such celebrations is getting better with each passing year as the revelry starts after office hours (8 p.m. to 10 p.m.), making it convenient for entrepreneurs and professionals working in diverse fields to join the dance schedules. Those associated with the samaj’s Mahila mandal say they do not want to miss any detail and a theme-based programme list is ready for the festival. President of the samaj’s women’s wing Dharini Khara says, “A dress code will be followed each evening by women during the festivities. This apart, aarti plate designing and fancy dress contests are also lined up during Navratri. The idea is to involve the young and the old generations in the cultural grandeur, keeping the traditional element alive.” Procuring designer wear forms an intrinsic part of the festivities for Gujaratis. “Earlier, a majority of men would turn up in attractive sets of kedia (traditional attire) for the occasion. As we don’t have much choice in the port city, many prefer kurta-pyjama to kedia sets as it offers convenience plus ease of access,” says Sailesh Kuchhadia, businessman and member of the samaj. Meghna Oza, entrepreneur, says she is excited to source new sets of ghagra-choli for Navratri from Ahmedabad. “The ornate embellishment and elaborate embroidery stuff we get in Ahmedabad is unmatched. Eventually, when these attires are paired with trinkets, the outcome is always brilliant,” adds Ms. Meghna. Similarly, Sree Kutch Kadva Patidar Samaj is also gearing up to celebrate Navratri at Umiya Bhavan, Shanti Nagar, NAD Kotha Road. About 850 Gujaratis are expected to take part in the in-house celebrations which will continue from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

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