Navratri/ Dandiya Raas Garba Event 2023 September/October- USA & Canada

Navaratri (The 9-day festival):?

Navaratri is an annual Hindu festival celebrating the divine feminine or Shakti in various forms. It is celebrated for nine nights and ten days and generally falls in September or October. Also known as Sharad Navratri or Durga Puja, Navaratri is widely celebrated by Hindus in India and worldwide.

Navaratri festival promotes the celebration spirit by honoring different aspects of the goddesses Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati each night. People invoke the three goddesses by installing their idols at homes and public places, conducting prayers, offerings, special rituals, and performing songs and dances. They also observe fasting and maintain strict moral conduct during the festival. On the tenth day, called Vijayadashami, they celebrate the victory of good over evil by immersing the idols of Durga in water or burning effigies of the demon Ravana.

Navaratri is a festival of joy, devotion, gratitude, positivity, togetherness, and empowerment. It reminds people of their inner strength and potential to overcome any obstacles in life.

The Colourful Dandiya Raas Garba

Dandiya Raas Garba is a socio-religious folk dance from the Indian state of Gujarat and is widely performed in the festival of Navratri. It combines Dandiya Raas, which involves dancing with sticks, and Garba, which involves clapping hands and moving in a circular motion. The dance is a way of worshipping and seeking the blessings of Goddess Durga. The dance is also associated with the life of Lord Krishna, who used to play Raas with his gopis (cowherd girls) in Vrindavan.

Men and women perform the dance in traditional and colorful costumes, usually in large groups. The dancers move in sync with the music, generally a mix of Gujarati folk songs and Bollywood tunes. The dance is a form of recreation and celebration and a way of expressing devotion, joy, cultural identity, social bonding, and artistic creativity.

Dandiya Raas Garba in US & Canada

Dandiya Raas Garba is celebrated in the United States by many Indian Americans. Many dandiya raas garba events and competitions are organized by various cultural and educational associations across the country, especially in places with a large Gujarati population. The dancers adorn traditional colorful costumes and perform to a mix of Gujarati folk songs and Bollywood tunes.

Dandiya Raas Garba is also celebrated in Canada by many Indian Canadians and others who love the festive and energetic dance form. Various cultural and educational associations across the country organize it. Some cities hosting large-scale Garba events are Toronto, Mississauga, Vancouver, Edmonton, and Calgary. 

The Artists coming to USA/Canada this year.

The following top stars will be visiting USA/Canada during this Navaratri to enthrall you with their performance

Atul Purohit

Falguni Pathak

Aishwarya Majmudar

Achal Mehta

Kinjal Dave

Vedik Vibez

The shows by the above artists will make the 2023 Navaratri a special one for you. Be sure to attend these shows, and book your tickets through Sulekha now.