* art by Ashok Revankar |
Navratri, the Hindu festival of worship and dance, started this past Saturday. Each autumn, for nine nights and ten days, Hindu’s worship the divine mother during this holiday. As the leaves change color and the temperature cools down, Hindus see this seasonal change as time of importance and grounds to celebrate.
Navratri is colorful and festive. Each night of Navratri holds its own significance. During the first three days Durga or Kali, the spiritual force of impurity, is worshipped to destroy all impurities. During the second three days Lakshmi, the goddess of spiritual wealth, is adored. During the final three days, the goddess of wisdom, Sarasvati, is worshipped to seek blessings for all around success in life.
Navratri is celebrated by a large number of South Asians communities in various ways. In the US, many visit temples for prayer and attend Garba parties, a dance that comes from the Gujarat region. In India, garba is typically performed during Navratri in the late evening. Garbas in the US are usually on Fridays and Saturdays and last over a span of 3 to 4 weeks. In the US, garba is not only for those who love to garba and raas (dance with sticks), but it’s also a time to stay up late to eat Indian street food and enjoy festive music. Typically, women and men get dressed up in folk wear and dance the night away.
To attend a Garba this Navratri, check out these NY area parties:
When: 9/25, 9/26. 10/2, 10/3
Where: Parsippany Hills High School,Parsippany, NJ
Please visit www.icfoundation.net for more information
When: 9/26, 10/3
Where: JP Stevens High School, Edison NJ
Sponsored by: Indo-American Cultural Association
When: 10/2, 10/3
Where: NJ Expo Hall- Raritan NJ
What: Dandiya Festival with Falguni Pathak
CitySaheli found a great resource for some garbas around the NY tristate area:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=115651221383
http://www.sulekha.com/ticketsv3/default.aspx
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