Navratri - then and now

Yesterday I went to a folk dance soiree with a friend. After a hectic Saturday which involved finishing sundry chores, seeing the later half of Vicki Donor - all in time to get ready for the evening out. I even had some time to mull over options to wear, something I realize I've not done in ages, but love to do. Big G told me I looked like a Princess, a big compliment that:) lil G created a big tantrum over wanting lipstick!! Nice pout but no luck.

The dance actually was an  interaction of people who learn dance from different dance clubs in Brussels. My friend A and me conspicuously stood out - most were 50 plus'ers. French was thrown around and made me wonder why I focus on grammar to learn a language! But it didn't sound completely Latin either. Everyone formed a large circle, someone showed the steps and we practiced a couple of times and then we danced to short song clips from many countries - Romania, Israel, Portugal, Russia, France.....Great exercise too, I tell you. It made me so nostalgic about Navratri because that is exactly how the Garba is done, and can you believe it some of the steps and even the beats were so identical.

My friend A who is also from Bombay told me about her childhood years and how she celebrated Navratri. For me, growing up outside Gujarat, and without a big Gujarati circle, the 9 days were always more associated with lighting the Garbo (the traditional earthen port dotted with holes) and singing the Aarti to Amba Maa. And the stories behind it, invoking Shakti in the form of the trinity of Goddesses, and the triumph of good over evil .  In Bihar, it involved visiting the many Pujo Pandals  and very rarely, a visit to a nearby town to see Garba being played by the Gujarati folks. It was whilst staying in HP when we had a sizeable number of Gujarati families that we celebrated Navratri and Dasshera in a communal way. The Aarti first and then the men (don't know why men) who sang the songs.  We all danced around in a circle around the lamps and the frame of the Mother Goddess. Of course, as a small school girl, dressing up was not so big in my scheme of things. I had my own small concerns - conscious about my 2 left feet and that nobody taught the steps, you had to observe and learn and be quick and graceful about it too.

It was then that I heard a whole lot of Garba numbers and when I hear these I am  totally transported  to a different time and place. It is difficult to explain the range of emotions it can invoke. Here is a link to some of the Garbas I like, thanks to TGND who's done all the hard-work (so I can afford a lazy link-up).

I am not an ardent follower of traditions, but this is one festival that I've never ever missed. I remember right from the time of having a skeptical husband accompanying me to buy a suitable garbo near Andheri station -  the very first time in our home to this year. The year lil G was born I had the opportunity to spend it chez parents and one of the most memorable in recent years. Everything like old times but not quite. My Mom's sweet and strong voice coming forth while my Father, my Grandmother and me following, sometimes lil G in my hands, sometimes she slept through it all. And Big G wanting to copy everything that Nana-Nani did, even pretend reading the Aarti from the book, distributing prasad and prostrating before the Gods.

This Navratri, we (the girls and me) have still not put on our long skirts and chania-cholis and danced to Garbas on youtube as we normally do and there are hardly any days left! We do the Aarti together and that's a family effort enough.  It's rather comical seeing us dance as we each dance to our own tunes but it makes us laugh and we've good memories. Once I want us to see it in Gujarat in all its legendary splendour and colour and hopefully soon. Wishing you all a Happy Navratri too!!

Source: Google Images

P.S. - A nice read on celebrating Durga Puja abroad!