Ahmedabad’s celebrations

At a traditional Gujarati folk dance and song (Garba) Night, Ahmedabad’s toddlers "stole the show with their adorable cuteness, sometimes tripping and falling in the bargain,” states an email from the Ushta-Te Foundation. Organized by the Foundation jointly with the Zarthushti Awareness Group of Ahmedabad (ZAGA) and the Ahmedabad Parsi Panchayat (APP), the event took place at the Navroji Vakil Compound on September 30, 2017. After the lighting of a lamp and a humbandagi, "children, adults and senior citizens, all dressed up in traditional garb, came forward to participate,” said the write-up. A lucky draw with gift hampers, food stalls with ice creams "to cool the sweaty, tired dancers” were the highlights of the evening, which saw 150 persons attending, with about 50 dancing. The proceeds from the sale of the coupons went towards the Kathi Fund of the Vakil Unjooman Aaduraan at Khamasa, notes the write-up.

The enthusiastic office bearers of the Foundation noted that the "Parsi” Garbas sung by Kety Daruwalla, Dinaz Chacha, Dinaz Bajina and Perin Davar included "Ghoom re ghanti ghoom (Revolve, you grindstone),” "Makkad mastano (Naughty monkey)” and "Baar varras ni kanya (12-year-old bride).” The dances were judged by Foundation trustee Persis Khambatta, businesswoman Khushnuma Avari and Jet Airways manager Ashish Majra.
"Usually community members are scattered in different groups and therefore, we decided to organize an event for them on our own premises... It’s an occasion to bring community members together,” APP president Brig Jahangir Anklesaria (Retd) told The Times of India dated September 28. ZAGA volunteer Daruwalla informed the newspaper that "the (Parsi Garba) songs revolve around little titbits of the Parsi culture and how the community lives, depicting nuances in a humorous way.” As trustee Shirin Kanga told the newspaper, "Garba... is another reason to enjoy and get together for the fun-loving community.”
The Hindu festival of Navratri ("nine nights”) is celebrated in autumn each year, with much gusto in Gujarat. Traditional observances include fasting and prayers. Many traditional garbas are performed around a centrally lit lamp or a picture or statue of the Goddess Shakti. A few non-Parsis were present for the September 30 event, stated the report.