The document discusses the colorful celebrations of Navratri festival in Gujarat, describing the 9 forms of the goddess Durga worshipped each night, traditional Garba and Dandiya folk dances, distinctive clothing and jewelry worn, delicious food enjoyed, and highlights some popular venues in cities like Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Rajkot, and Surat where large crowds gather to celebrate through dance and worship over the 9 nights of the festival.

1. In association withVibrant Colours ofGujarat’s Navratri

2. n a v r a t r i3Maa Chandraghantha - This "SHAKTI" displays a goldenhue to her skin and possesses ten hands and 3 eyes. Eightof her hands display weapons while the remaining twoWorship, not in the form of hushed chants or reverent humility, but in a burst ofgestures are of giving boon and stopping harm.dance — that is Navratri. I think no other4Maa Kushmanda - Maa "Kushmanda", possesses eightarms holding weapons and a mala.place in India celebrates this festival with asmuch gusto as Gujarat does. Only here do thecelebrations spread over nine days and nights,each dedicated to one of the nine avatars ofGoddess Amba, the divine manifestation ofpower.5Maa Skandmata - She holds her son, "SKAND" in herlap while displaying 3 eyes and 4 hands.Navratri, the festival6Maa Kaatyayani - Maa "Kaatyayani" stayed in theAshram of sage Katyayan for penance, hence she is namedas "Kaatyayani".of nine nightsEach night, people drenched in infectiousavratri is one of the world’s longest and mostN7Maa Kaalratri - The destroyer of darkness andparticipatory dance festivals. Perhaps only thefervour gather in open spaces to be partignorance, Maa "Kaalratri" is the seventh form of Nav-goddesses of the Hindu pantheon know how manymillions dance, sing, pray and fast to evoke theirblessings on the nine nights of Navratri across Gujarat.Regardless of their religion, age or dancing skills anyonecan be part of the Garba and dandiya.Durga meaning enemy of darkness.of a hypnotic, circular folk dance — Garba.Together, dressed in their colourful attires,the dancers present a kaleidoscopic spectacle.Never have I seen such a blissful rendezvousbetween revelry and worship anywhere else.8Maa Mahagauri - Peace and compassion radiate fromher being and she is often dressed in a white or green sari.9Maa Siddhiratri- Ensconced upon a lotus, she is thepossessor of 26 different wishes to grant her bhakts.Come Ashwin Sud, the costumed men and womenare on the streets of Gujarat dancing at streetcorners, residential localities, clubs and colleges.Itis a social event and community activity withBut, dance is just one of the many ways ofcelebration. ‘Bhavai’ — a unique drama form isalso performed by a troupe of male artistes foran exclusively female audience, across villages.Where else have you seen such chivalry?32everyone becoming part of the event. The wholeatmosphere is one of revelry for the nine nightsleading to the eve of Dussehra when Durga issaid to have defeated the demon, Mahishasuraand Rama is believed to have defeated Ravana.It’s a strange feelingwhen you pen downAll dance and drama but no delicacies willmake the celebration a hungry affair, won’t it?After nine days of fasting the faithful indulgein the lip-smacking salty Fafda and sweetwords knowing well theywon’t be able to fully9 Forms of SHAKTIDurga Devi: Durgatinashini means onewho eliminates all sufferings so Durga Deviprotects us from evil and removes miseries.describe what they aresupposed to. Such is themagnificenceJalebi, on the tenth day known as Dusshera.Maa Durga is worshipped in manyforms. The evolution of Saraswati, Laxmiand Mahakali took place from "Brahma","Vishnu" and "Mahesh" respectively, eachIt’s a strange feeling when you pen downwords knowing well they won’t be able to fullydescribe what they are supposed to. Such isof the Navratri celebrationsin Gujarat.giving rise to 3 more forms together knownas "Nav-Durga".the magnificence of the Navratri celebrationsin Gujarat. I hope by the grace of Amba allof you have the good fortune to witness thespectacular event in person.1Maa Shailputri - "Shail" means mountains;"Shailputri" is the daughter of king ofMountains.2Maa Bhramcharni - She personifies loveand loyalty and is a store-house of wisdom.Rudraksha is her most adorned ornament.Breathe in a bit of faith. Breathe in a bit ofGujarat.

3. n a v r a t r iThe attiresand ornamentsFor Chaniya Choli sets, visitAsopalav, Deepkala, Rupkalaand Radhika stores that havea presence in big cities likeAhmedabad, Vadodara and Surat,while Jade Blue is good fortraditional men's wear. Boutiqueslike Bandhej in Ahmedabad alsoturn out good Chaniya Cholis.Ratan Pol in the walled city ofAhmedabad where you can getdresses and jewellery for the Garbanights is a favourite. Ratan Polmarket, Ajanta Shopping Centreon Ashram Road and the boutiquestores of CG Road should also beexplored. Ramakda Market nearTeen Darwaja in Ahmedabad is agood place to look for dandiyasticks and decorations.Countdown tothe festival4 uring Navratri, Gujarat is a blazeAt night, the youth is outDof colour. Women wear chaniyaenjoying food across the city.cholis- odhni sets comprising a skirt,24 hour coffee shops at hotelsblouse and veil respectively. The moreon SG Road and Satellite Roadexclusive chaniya-choli sets are lavishlyembellished with embroidery, beads andbrocade; can weigh several kilogramsand are accompanied by artistic jewellery.The streets and markets of Ahmedabad,Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot, Bhavnagar,Jamnagar and other cities of Gujaratare lined with costumes and ornamentsfor sale.The preparations for Navratri beginlong before the first day of the festival.Everywhere in the city, from hobbyclasses to dance academies, dance classesattract people who want to look poisedin Ahmedabad or Sayaji Gunjwhen they dance during Navratri. Fromand Alkapuri in Vadodara recordtraditional to trendy steps and styles,brisk sales. Street food places ofthese classes offer the gamut to studentsAhmedabad, Vadodara, Surat,for the wow factor. Spas and beautyRajkot, Bhuj, etc. stay open tillsalons too do brisk business.midnight.

4. n a v r a t r iFolk dances of Gujarat include famousdance forms like Garba, Dandiya, Bhavai,Tippani, Hudo, among others. These danceforms are very energetic, colourful andsoulful and truly reflect the essence ofvibrant Gujarat.RhythmicDance FormsThe best known is the Garba ofthe women and Garbi of the menperformed in a circle with the dancersswinging to the Tal or beat.The fire in the garbi symbolizes76fertility and the mother goddesses areworshipped as bearers of life. The wordGarba is derived from the Sanskrit wordGarbadeep, which means a light inside apot. Women dance balancing the garbior mandvi on their head. Dandiya Raasis a group dance deriving its name fromthe dandiya struck together.Raasda is performed by men andwomen with clap of hands, snappingof fingers or movement of feet to thedrumming of dholaks. Tippani involvesbeating the ground with a stick, earlierused by construction workers to keep themud floors even.Hudo is the folk dance form ofBharwad, Gujarat’s shepherd community.In the Matki dance, the women of thetribes carry the matkis balanced on theirheads. Bhavai is one folk theatre formof Gujarat meant for worshipping. TheNayak community is known to performthe ancient Bhavai form, the most widelyused form for mass communicationtravelling from village to village.

5. n a v r a t r iIn Navratri, Gujarat is a blaze ofcolour. Just travel around in citieslike Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara,Palli is a festive event that occurs atRupaal village near Gandhinagar. A largenumber of families, mainly from thevaaghri community, gather at the templeto various goddesses in this village tomake offerings of ghee. The quantityof ghee usually depends on what waspledged when making a wish. The eventruns all night long and the floors of thetemple are covered with overflowing gheeas it progresses.Rajkot, Bhavnagar and Bhuj to seecolourfully dressed people dancing.From get-togethers in housingGarba Hotspotssocieties to large gatherings at venuesthere is a lot to experience. Traditionalareas like the ‘pols' of Ahmedabad andold quarters of other cities are witnessto Sheri Garbas.BarodalUnited Way of Baroda (UWB)UWB is one of the biggest eventsrenowned internationally and attractsa sophisticated audience. The venueattracts over 400,000 visitors.TraditionsElaborate arrangements for crowdsand exceptional music are aspects thatattract a sizeable number.Paintings of the MotherGoddess98l MAA SHAKTI Navratri MohatsavMAA SHAKTI Navratri Mohatsav isan international phenomenon andA unique aspect of Navratri is theKalamkari paintings done in honour ofDurga. Mata ni Pachhedi paintings oncloth in honour of the mother goddess,have special significance when they arebestowed at shrines to the goddessesas temple curtains. These narrativekalamkari cloth paintings can also bebought in Ahmedabad since it’s a lessexpensive block-printed version.featured in the Limca book of Worldrecords as THE BIGGEST GARBA inthe World. The venue had more than42000 dancers swaying to the liltingmusic.These paintings are called Matani Pachhedi because they depict themother goddess in her manifestationsof destroying evil forces enshrined inan architectural space with processionsof people showing devotion to thegoddess and deities of the Hindupantheon in columns around it. Sunand the moon motifs in the uppercorners symbolise constant features oflife. During Navratri, these paintingsare used as portable shrines too whencommunities like the Vagharis dance theGarba and dandiya around a mandvi.You can buy the kalamkari paintingsfrom artisans or at Emporia.

6. n a v r a t r iMinisshaLambaI have witnessed Navratricelebrations in Gujarat inthe past and I must admitthat I was blown awaywith the festivities. Fromtraditional clothes, to folkdance and music, to thethaalis, everything is justso perfect.Garba HotspotsAhmedabadlVibrant Gujarat Navratri FestivalGujarat Government (Gujarat Tourism)along with Gujarat Industries NavratriFestival Society (GINFS) organises the1110 vast & vibrant Navratri celebrations atthe GMDC Ground which is attendedby Mr. Narendra Modi. The venue hasshops for handicrafts, delicacies, kids’zone, etc and also plays host to thestate level Garba competition.lKarnavati ClubOne of Ahmedabad’s elite clubs, theNavratri is organised by Max events.Last year, the theme was green incollaboration with Gujarat environmentdepartment; where a photo gallerySupriya Pathakof the oldest trees in the city wasdisplayed for awareness.For me, Garba is the mostimportant aspect ofNavratri. Some years backwhen I was traveling inGujarat for one of mylRajpath ClubAnother elite club of Ahmedabad with16,000 visitors per night; NavratriGujarati plays, I attendedthe celebrations there.The entire setting wasis organised by Apple I. There aredifferent bands like Nasik, Puneri,outstanding and I dancedall night to the beats oftraditional dhols.Bhangra playing each night. This yearthe theme is Dhollywood 2011 basedon the instrument Dhol.

7. nUrvashi DholakiaMy favourite destinations duringNavratri are Ahmedabad and Surat.Both the cities celebrate Navratrion a grand scale which is difficult todescribe if you haven't been there.The preparations are done monthsahead of the festival and it's quite asight to see families wearing theirbest traditional outfits coming outtogether to play Garba. I'm a foodie,so I make sure I enjoy the thaliwhich has an amazing variety and iscooked in the most authentic way.Garba HotspotsRajkotlLeo-Pioneer Group1312Headed by Kashyap Shukla, this groupis well-known and organise traditionalGarba, dandiya and other folk dances.Different troupes and cultural groupsare invited to make each night adistinctive attraction.lRace Course ClubThis iconic club in Rajkot attracts largecrowds. The Navratri programs underRCC Dandiya are a riot of colourful8clothing and known to identifytalented singers and musicians.Friends Cultural GroupPrachi DesaiThis group has been organising Garbasince the 1990s, with thousands ofparticipants and spectators attendingtheir events. Their innovative decorand design are major attractions.Navratri is one of thedearest festivals to meand dandiya and garbareally excite me. For me,wearing colorful clothes,dancing to folk musicand enjoying with familyand friends makes thisfestival so special.Soi EntertainmentDandiya programs organised by SOI

8. nAnjou Musafir andPascal ChazotDirectors and founders ofMahatma Gandhi InternationalSchoolIt is wonderful to watch girlsand young women on scooterslate at night heading for Navratrivenues in Ahmedabad without anyfear. It embodies the freedom andsafety that girls enjoy in the citiesof Gujarat.Garba Hotspotsare professionally managed. Besideshaving well-known singers andtroupes, SOI also offers a platform for14 emerging talent.Considering the mammoth crowdsat venues, security is a priority.Most venues have CCTV cameras,metal detectors, security guards& bouncers; some even have bombsquads & dog squads.Sheri GarbaSheri garbas are popular in manyhousing societies since it is also aget-together for all. The true spiritDisclaimerIt is recommended that readerscontact the organisers for detailsof their forthcoming programs.While we have taken utmost carein checking the details about theevent organisers; the magazine,Gujarat Tourism or any of theteam members involved withputting together this booklet willnot be responsible if an eventat the venues mentioned abovedoes not happen this year, iscancelled for any reason or is onlyaccessible for invited guests.of Sheri Garba is seen in the old city,where organisers work with minimalfunds. Areas around Bhadra Fort, TeenDarwaja and Manekchowk turn intoGarba grounds, devoid of bannersfor advertising. Festivity rules thenights with devotees celebrating itin its purest form. Every householdcontributes and it reflects the truespirit of Navratri.

9. Gujarat TourismTourism Corporation of Gujarat LimitedUdyog Bhavan, Block No. 16, 4th Floor, Sector-11, Gandhinagar - 382 011, Indiawebsite www.gujarattourism.com