HYDERABAD: Swirling mirrored ghaghras, keeping time with the clicking of gilded sticks, set the mood for Navratri celebrations in the city. Apart from religious worship of the Divine Mother, what draws youngsters to the celebrations is the Dandiya - a perfect excuse to catch up with friends and have fun dancing.“My friends and I frequent the Dandiya event at the Secunderabad Club every year. It is the third year in a row that I will be going there,” says N Damini, a student of B.Sc second year at the St. Francis College for Women, Begumpet. Though celebrated chiefly by the resident Gujarati families in Hyderabad, the fun element of Dandiya is a huge crowd puller. Also known as dandiya Raas, it re-enacts the raas leela of Lord Krishna and his consorts. The present day music is faster and usually comprises popular Bollywood tunes matched to the rhythm of the clicking sticks.The Namdhari Gaurav Navratri Utsav, which conducts puja as well as daily Dandiya event, is a hit with the families and the youth. Surat Singh, chairman and managing director of Namdhari Events, says, “It is a religious festival. We also offer season passes to families who form into groups of 100 each. The passes are given at a subsidised price of `1200 per person. Weekends and holidays are when most of the non-Gujaratis participate in the celebrations.” The celebrations which began on Wednesday, will go on till Oct 6 at the Imperial gardens.
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