By Suraj Bhatt
NHSF (UK) Sewa Team

In a country of such diverse religions and customs there is one celebration that stands out in a vibrancy of colours, music and dancing: Navratri. Sharad Navratri, meaning ‘nine nights’, is one of the auspicious festivals that has been passed down many generations in the Hindu Dharma, bringing together families and communities. The festival is celebrated for nine nights and ten days during which the nine forms of Goddess Shakti are worshipped.

The nine day festival, includes fasting, Durga Pujas and raas garba. The “Garba” is a dance of graceful steps performed around a decorated symbolised form of the Goddess. Another popular dance is the “Dandia Raas”, in which men and women join the dance circle, holding small elegant sticks (dandias),and moving to the rhythmic beats played by live musicians. The nights are full of energy and joyful dancing into which each individual becomes mesmerised. Commencing late in the evening and continuing until the early hours of the morning is celebrated by individuals, dressed in traditional, radiant folk wear.

This special festival was celebrated across all parts of India, particularly in Gujurat and West Bengal. The National Hindu Students’ Forum (NHSF) (UK) also took lead in organising Garbas up and down the country. Starting with the ‘Full Moon dance Garba extravaganza’ in Leeds, different (NHSF (UK)) Hindu societies worked extremely hard preparings for their individual Garba events.

NHSF (UK) members across England organised the following events:

North Zone

  • Full moon dance Garba extravaganza- NHSF Leeds, 17th October 2012
  • NHSF Manchester student Garba 2012 -University of Manchester, 17th October 2012.
  • ‘NHSF North zone students Garba 2012’, 23rd October 2012, organised and attended by NHSF Manchester, NHSF Leeds, NHSF Sheffield, NHSF Huddersfield, NHSF Hull, NHF Bradford and NHSF Liverpool.
  • ‘Maha Navratri’ – NHSF Liverpool, 18th October 2012
  • NHSF Northumbria celebrated navratri at the local mandir, 20th October 2012.

Central Zone

  • ‘NHSF (UK) Central Zone’, 24th October 2012.

London Zone

  • NHSF Brunel University, 22nd October 2012.
  • NHSF St Georges held a a two day event.
  • ‘KCL Garba 2012’ (Organised by NHSF Kings) and ‘London 2012 Raas- Garba’ (organised by NHSF QMUL, NHSF LSE and NHSF City University Hindu societies), 29th October 2012.
  • ‘Ujaali’ – NHSF Imperial, 25th October 2012.

South Zone

  • Plymouth Raas garba 2012, NHSF Plymouth University, 21st October 2012.
  • NHSF Bristol Hindu Society organised ‘NHSF Dole Re,’ 27th October 2012.
  • NHSF UEA celebrated garba with the Norwich and Norfolk local communities.
  • NHSF Cardiff joined together with the local mandir to celebrate navratri.
  • NHSF Southampton, Garba Raas, 23rd October 2012.

Committee members of NHSF (UK) worked tirelessly to carry out this wonderful festival for their members to unite and enjoy. It is important that we, the younger generation, carry the torch in order for these festivities to continue for years to come in order to unite communities, uphold tradition and inspire generations to come.

Happy Navratri to one and all.