Navratri starts on Sunday, garba is warming up across the city, and People’s University has its own garba nights on 14 and 15 October. Registration has started.
If you’ve walked past a society lawn or a college ground in Bhopal this past week, you already know. Speakers being tested, someone shouting “ek, do, teen” over a dhol, a group of friends doing the same three steps again and again until it finally clicks. September end is when it all starts here, with garba classes and practice groups in hostels and corridors, and now the nine nights themselves are almost here.
Nine nights, finally
Navratri begins on Sunday, 11 October, and runs till 19 October, with Dussehra on the 20th. Over these nine nights, people worship nine forms of Goddess Durga, and garba is how many of us celebrate it, dancing in a circle around a lit lamp or an image of the Goddess. For a lot of us it also means early morning aarti at home, fasting plates, and evenings that belong entirely to garba. Many people follow a colour for each day, so check the list before you shop for outfits, because the colours differ a little from one calendar to another.
The whole city is dancing
From 11 October onwards, garba events will be happening all over Bhopal, in societies, pandals, clubs and colleges. Some are huge, some are just a lane with a speaker and a few uncles who dance better than all of us. Either way, the city sounds different at night during these nine days, and it’s one of the best things about living here.
14 and 15 October, at People’s
Our own garba is on Wednesday, 14 October and Thursday, 15 October, at People’s University. Those of you who were here last year remember what the PPS ground looked like on garba night: colour everywhere, loud music, and one big circle that kept growing as more people joined in. For a lot of freshers that was the night that made the campus feel like theirs.
Registration has started
You need to register first, and the form is here: fill in the registration form. Don’t leave it for the last day, because dates like these have a way of arriving faster than you expect. For timings and other details, check the form.
First time doing garba?
Relax, nobody is checking. If you’ve never danced garba, start by watching the person in front of you. The basic step is easier than it looks, and by the third round your feet usually figure it out. If you want some help, the practice groups have been going since September, and seniors are usually happy to show you the steps. Plenty of friendships start with someone saying “arre, yeh step aise nahi hota.”
What to wear
Chaniya choli, kediyu, a nice kurta, whatever you’re comfortable in. You don’t need to buy anything new, and borrowing from a friend or a sibling is practically a tradition by now. Pick something you can move in, because the twirls get big.
A few small things before you come
- Wear comfortable footwear, because you will be on your feet for hours
- Carry water, and take a break when you need one
- Keep your phone and valuables safe, and don’t leave them lying around
- Come with your friends, but be ready to make new ones in the circle
Why it matters
Mid-semester is usually all deadlines and attendance, so two evenings of music and dancing are a proper break. Classmates who barely talk in the lab end up holding hands in a garba circle. Seniors and juniors dance in the same line, and for a couple of hours nobody cares which year you’re in. That’s what makes it more than an event.
So fill in the form, pick your outfit, and get your steps ready. Navratri begins on 11 October, garba is on 14 and 15 October at People’s University, and the registration form is open now. See you in the circle.
