With fast, feast, dance and music Thaneites enjoy Navratri with zeal

13 October, 2018

THANE: Dressed in their best garba outfits and adorned with the latest oxidized jewelry, the lake city denizens have already started grooving to the traditional Navratri music.

Be it observing a day-long fast, thronging to the city-based temples or performing a puja at home, devotees are seen celebrating the nine-day festival with pomp and gaiety.

Rasika Kusurkar, a resident of Dombivli said, “On the first day of Navratri we performed the Ghatasthapana puja. We got up early in the morning and decorated the house with flowers and rangoli. We will be preparing an array of dishes till the end of the festival as guests would keep coming over. It is believed that the eighth day particularly is significant. This time since the last day of Navratri and Dussehra is falling on the same day, the celebrations would be grand.”

Even housing complexes here are having haldi-kumkum ceremonies along with dandiya and garba competitions to engage the youth in the festivities. A resident of Pokhran Road No.1 Harsha Pongurlekar said, “Since the past several years we have been organizing dandiya and garba night. Usually we pick a Saturday for the event so everyone can participate. We arrange for a sound system and food too. Everyone dresses up in the traditional costumes and there are prizes for the winners including the senior citizens and the kids. There is a haldi-kumkum ceremony as well for the ladies wherein we get together and chant hymns. A small puja also takes place in the parking lot area of the building.” -

The senior citizens too join in the celebrations dressed up in the everyday different colours, clicking pictures with their friends and uploading it on their Whatsapp group.

“I like to follow the different colours that people wear during the Navratri. Since I am at home the whole day when I go for my evening walk, I prefer to drape a saree of the particular colourful of the day. We then click pictures sitting in the building’s garden and share it on our Whatsapp group,” said Aasha Patil (65), a resident of Ghodbundar Road.

I like to follow the different colours that people wear during the Navratri festival. While going for my evening walks, I drape saree of the same color. My friends and I then click pictures sitting in the building’s garden and share it on our Whatsapp group

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com