Auckland Indian Association’s Mahatma Gandhi Centre in Auckland has long been a hub for cultural celebrations within the Indian community. One of the most highly anticipated events hosted at this venue is the nine-night Navratri festival, featuring the energetic and rhythmic Garba dance.
In recent years, these festivities have experienced a surge in popularity, with this year
drawing more than a thousand attendees on the opening night on Sunday, 15 October. “We are very pleased and excited on our first day of Garba. We had more than 1200 people attend and the performance from our professional musicians from India was superb,” Dhansukh Lal, President of the Auckland Indian Association Inc, said.
Navratri, one of the most popular of Hindu festivals spans nine nights, and is celebrated with fervour, devotion, and dance. The celebrations are a highlight of the Hindu social calendar across the world, attracting large and diverse crowds. Auckland is no exception. Garba is the centrepiece of the festivities. The dance involves gracefully moving in a circle, with performers wearing colourful attire and traditional Chania Cholis. The significance of Navratri lies in its celebration of the triumph of good over evil and the worship of the Goddess Durga.
One of the key factors contributing to the popularity of Navratri at the Mahatma Gandhi
Centre this year is the exceptional musical accompaniment for the dancers. This year’s
event is featuring professional musicians from India, including Dinesh and Helan as the main singers, Ketan on keyboards, and Bhavesh on Dholak and drums. Their performances added a new layer of vibrancy to the celebration, captivating the audience and inspiring them to dance with even more enthusiasm on opening night.
This year’s Navratri celebration has brought some exciting innovations to the table.
Attendees had the opportunity to capture memorable moments at the photo booth, adding an element of fun and remembrance to the event. Furthermore, the organisers have hinted at something special happening on Saturday, 21 October, a first-of-its-kind addition to any Garba event.
“Watch this space for what’s happening on Saturday 21st October. This will be the very first time you will see this amazing feature at any Garba,” Lal said. So, dress up and get ready to swirl your Chania Cholis on Saturday.”
This promise of novelty has sparked considerable anticipation among the attendees, who are encouraged to dress up and participate in the celebration with zeal.
Harshad Patel, Chairman of the organising committee for the event said, “This year’s
musicians are outstanding. When the music is good, people are encouraged to dance even more. The musicians being very experienced with garba are very good at gauging the mood and movement of the crowds and change tunes and rhythms accordingly. It was amazing to watch.”