Nine Days of Festivals

In the city of Mumbai, during the last nine days of Navratri festival from 12th of this month, the nights reverberated with enchanting music and colorful dances.  It is a festival that the city youth looks forward, as they spend the night out in the open ground where the dancing takes place. Both the males and females don the traditional Gujarati styled garb that comes in a spectrum of colorful flowing dresses covered with glittering mirror patches and holding in their hands two small sticks used in dancing. 

As the music orchestra pelts out folk music, the Navratri revelers break into traditional Garba and Dandiya Raas dances.  They swirls and move in circles while tapping the hand held dandiya (wood sticks) with their next in line partners.    Where only the hands are used for tapping, it is called Garba. 

Every night before the dancing begins, people collect in front of the portrait or clay statue of Goddess Durga and perform an aarti (worship) by chanting of religious hymns amid clinking of cymbals. In keeping with modern trends, most of the songs played are from latest hits taken from Hindi films. The dancing goes on till ten pm - the stipulated time fixed by the government and on weekends, permission is given to carry on the dancing till midnight.

The Navratri has grown in popularity with many private organizers stepping in to the foray of organizing the whole show and charges from each participants a hefty entry fee and tickets that are sold for Rs. 250-500. For the youth, these events are an excuse to freak the whole night out and for some, an opportunity to mingle with girls. The politicians also try to draw mileage by co-sponsoring the events.

This year, many private builders are said to have sponsored this event in middle class localities in order to win over the local populations. The builders are eying the old buildings these people reside in, so that they can later be taken for re-development by demolishing the old structures and building new ones. Commercial considerations are a visible factor that binds most religious festivals and in the process, the piousness and sanctity associated with these events is sadly missing.         

The last five days of the events also coincides with the festival of Dussehra which was on the 20th of October. It is regarded as one of the most important festivals celebrated by Hindus in all parts of the nation.  The deity of Goddess Durga is installed in a decorated Pandal (bamboo built structure). According to the Puranas, (the holy mythology) Goddess Durga defeated and killed the buffalo demon Mahishasura. Dussehra is also known as Vijaya Dasami as Lord Rama achieves victory over Ravana, the demon king of Lanka. Dussehra essentially symbolizes the victory of good over evil. Ram Lila depicting the famous epic story of Ramayana is performed in northern India. Also the effigy of Demon Ravana is set on fire.  

The evening of Dussehra which marks the close of nine days of celebration also has a sort of anti-climatic as devotees bid adieu to Goddess Durga, which is taken in a procession amid music and dance and throwing of Gulal ( red powder) and finally the deity is immersed in the nearby rivers and seas.