Navratri has always been synonymous with vibrancy, happiness and excitement. After a two-year lull, come September 26, the dance and music festival is back -as revellers get set to reverberate to pulsating garba and dandiya raas beats. Some TV stars spoke to us about how they plan to celebrate Navratri this year:
Dance is an important part of my life, so Navratri is of course a favourite for me. I have always loved going to Vadodara to enjoy garba, there's a different festive vibe in that city. Although with my current schedule, I am not sure if I will get to chalk out a plan to visit Vadodara. I’d really want to take some time out to visit the Banyan City though, because this is my first Navratri post wedding with Aishwarya (Sharma) and it feels special. Aishwarya is a trained dancer and enjoys garba-dandiya. I hope we can do some garba this year. Apart from that, there will be a puja at my home in Mumbai every day and we will be part of it.
Like most Gujaratis, I think I learnt garba even before I could walk properly! On a serious note, for me Navratri was always about dressing up and dancing the night away, until I met Parag (Tyagi, my husband). Parag’s from Delhi, and for him Navratri has a more spiritual relevance. Our Navratri celebrations include -puja at home and a Navratri-specific sattvic diet every day. We also go dancing whenever we can. I have managed to teach Parag some garba moves. My most beautiful memories of Navratri are from my childhood days -we used to have Navratri celebrations in various housing societies (in Mumbai). We were a group of fabulous dancers. I remember prepping for the festival for weeks - we’d practise our dance moves, finalise our outfits. We used to hop from one society to another. I used to win a lot of prizes for outfits and dancing. I have a busy Navratri calendar this year -besides doing a puja and also shaking a leg at dandiya events, I will be attending Navratri events all over the country.
I have always enjoyed Navratri and the entire buzz around it. Right from going to Rani No Haziro to Law Garden for chaniya-choli and oxidised jewellery to accompanying my mother to get samagri for her her puja preparation to the market, there is a different energy and excitement this festival brings along with it which I enjoyed as a kid and a teenager. I still remember how we used to dance with our friends till almost 6am!
This time, the buzz is another level of awesome because the festival makes a grand comeback after two years. When I was in Ahmedabad this time around Rakshabandhan, I went to Law Garden and bought a Navratri outfit for myself. My brother and I do have plans to enjoy dandiya in Mumbai. Also, we are looking at making it to Ahmedabad for a couple of days to enjoy Navratri with our extended family.
Navratri has always been big in my household. We have a hawan everyday for all nine days and it's mandatory for my brother, my sister and me to participate in it. It has become an inevitable part of festivity for me. As a teenager, we used to enjoy dancing at dandiya events. I loved watching celebrities visit the garba pandals and used to ask my mom if I’d get to be on stage someday as a celeb guest at a dandiya event. Finally after Nisha Aur Uske Cousins, I was invited as a guest at a Navratri event in Mumbai and my mom started crying! That Navratri was extra special. I am a total raas garba lover, so this year I am all set to enjoy Navratri at Falguni Pathak's event along with my friends. My sister is a stylist so she plans to dress me in one of her creations. I am super excited, because I’ve been wanting to dance for two whole years and my favourite festival is finally here! Although I have only three days to celebrate Navratri, as I will be traveling later for work, but I will make the most of it along with my friends and family.
Being a Punjabi, Navratri is a very important festival as I am an ardent believer of Durga. I don't fast during the nine days, but I ensure that I follow a strict vegetarian diet during this period. I love the festival for the garba nights too. As someone who’s lived in Ahmedabad for a significant period of his life, I have soaked in the festive revelry of these nine nights almost every year when I used to live there. I really miss that energy, vibe and vibrant feel of Gujarat every Navratri. This year, I don't have any specific plans for the festival and am not sure if I will actually get to travel to Gujarat for the festival, but I will certainly be doing a puja at home in Mumbai.
