The festival that all the Gujaratis wait for the entire year – Navratri will just be getting over. The melodious flow of ras garba and dandiya and the delicious aroma of the Gujarati food fill up the air. That’s why Navratri in Gujarat is so special when the whole state gets drenched with vibrant colours. Garba and Dandiya Raas add to the vibrancy of the festival. People dressed up in sparkling finery whirled the nights away in enchanting garba dance.
Considered as the longest dance festival in the world, Navratri is one of the identities of Gujarat. The nine-day long festivities celebrate the nine forms of Shakti. This year, the audience was delighted with the Theme Pavilion, which would provide a unique spectacle with an impressive display on Ahmedabad – A UNESCO World Heritage City, Statue of Unity and life of Sardar Patel, Dandi March Satyagraha and the Swadeshi Moment as well as the Gir National Park. There were 15 monuments at the venue for tourist attraction. The cultural programme, Sheri Garba, Theme Pavilion, Craft Stalls, Balnagari and Anandnagari mesmerised the audience. This year, ‘MAA – Navdurga thi Narmada’ - a cultural programme was performed by over 300 artists.
About 25 food stalls served the well-known Gujarati dishes and cuisines from various parts of the state. There were stalls selling traditional handicrafts and art craft items that boasted of Gujarat’s colourful culture. A special kid’s zone was created to keep the children at the venue engaged. The theme pavilion and different entry gates displayed seven famous different heritage sites of Gujarat, different installations of Chabutra Garden, Gir National Park along with attractions like Swachhta Abhiyaan and Statue of Unity.
Various tasks of carpentry, as well as block printing, electricity and mechanical experiment, science experiment, yoga and yarn spinning on Charkha, was organized to attract children of different age groups. Anandnagari an adventure activity park where activities such as artificial rock climbing, rocket parachute, bungee jumping, trampoline, high rope crossing, mechanical bull riding was organised for the tourists visiting Gujarat during this time of the year. A special feature at this year’s Vibrant Navratri Festival was the state-level Garba Competition. Handicraft and food stalls showcasing the culture of Chhattisgarh will also be set up during the event.
