Navratri

Wow! Wow! Wow! Words cannot describe how amazing Navratri is (so this will be a long blog entry) !! Nine nights of dancing from about 11:00 till about 2 or 3 in the morning (on the last night of Navratri I didn’t get home until 5:00 am), can’t get much better than that. Of course the downside was that every morning I had to get up again at 6:00 to go to school, but let’s not talk about that.

Each night around 9:00 families and children would gather to give Puja to the Goddess Durga who the festival is celebrating. The festival celebrates the nine incarnations of her, her defeat of a demon (defeat of good over evil), and just plain having a good time. For Puja everyone gathers around her stature which is surrounded by flowers, incense, sweets, and burning candles, to wave their own pans holding oil and burning cotton. The fire-filled pans are waved up, then down the way they came, and then back up again, and then this is repeated over and over again while singing a special song.

After Puja the younger kids with their mini chania choli’s and pajama suits (boys traditional costume) dance around a huge tree covered in lights, swishing their skirts, and attempting to copy the precise movements that the adults have perfected (the adult dancing doesn’t start until 11:00). At around 11:00 my family normally takes me to a different place to play (that is what they call dancing garba here in India).

The place where I spent almost everynight swirling and twirling was in the Patel Society. On the into the Patel society a huge fence dripping with lights encompasses the dancing grounds, and lights aren’t the only thing dripping on the fences each end is surrounded by people trying to catch a glimpse of those dancing inside. Before even seeing the society you can hear the rhythmic beats and shrill voices sung and played by the tablas (drums), snares, the casio (keyboard), harmoniums, and many singers that make up the Navratri band.

When you first walk in the loudspeakers covered in bright lights lies in the middle of the garba circle. On the outskirts of the wide cicle lie seats for spectating, the stage for the garba band, and the platform holding Durga. Eveyone goes to Navratri whether you are a hard core dancer or spectator. I think I would go more in the category of the hard core dancer (or atleast the wannabe hard core dancer).

The festival of Navratri is a feast for the senses allowing you to know immediately that you are at the garba grounds. You nose is in seventh heaven taking in the smells of sand, fast food, incense, flowers, sweat, burning wax, and if your lucky the occasional whiff of perfume. The senses of touch and taste aren’t quite so pleasing, but part of the experience none the less. Every night my feet were worn raw from the sand that grinds down the skin on the soles of your feet (twirling is a rigorous activity), your hands are raw from clapping, your mind is spinning (as well as your body), your throat is dry from whooping and all in all you are about to collapse from fatigue, but somehow you keep dancing.
I think one of the best parts of Navratri (besides the dancing of course) is the feast for the eyes. With all of the colors, textures, and moving. The circle of twirling dancers looks like a human kaleidoscope. Everyone is wearing bright colors covered in decorative mirrors, beads, shells, and jewelry that catch the light as well as your eye as the spin past you. Also the mirrors, beads, shells, and jewelry help to add a soft background tinkle along with the swishing of fabric made by the skirts.

Navratri is such a wonderful celebration that despite all puja for Durga I asked a lot of my classmates (most of who are hindu), and everyone said it is all about having fun! Oh my goodness yes! Each night was so much fun, and despite you body’s fatigue you still want to keep dancing, and twirling, and enjoying yourself. Your mouth hurts from smiling (I wish I had some Vaseline to make it easier), and yet you don’t want to stop. A lot of the fun is that you can feel the aura of happiness and joy about you, and you remember why it is so wonderful to be alive.