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ISCC_Dandia Night_Final

By: Niky Chokshi and ISCC

Navaratri is a Hindu festival of worship and dance. The word Navaratri literally means nine nights in Sanskrit. On 27th October, ISCC is arranging for Thunderbird Students to take place in the Dance Festival that will take place at the Greenway High School, starting at 9pm.

This is a  period of introspection and purification, Navratri is traditionally an auspicious time for starting new ventures. Different types of pujas and ceremonies are performed by different communities on each of the nine days. Hindus observe fasting; eating only fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. They conduct specific prayers, practice celibacy, and visit temples. Many temples, as well as people in their homes, offer special prayer programs with singing and music throughout the night, called “Jagran.”

In western India, Navaratri is celebrated with nine nights of dancing. The traditional dances of Gujurat, known as garba and dandiya raas, are performed in circles with dancers dressed up in colorful clothes. Small, decorated sticks called dandiyas are used in the dandiya raas. Tbirds on campus have traditionally participated in this dancing event each Fall, by attending one night of garba and dandiya raas at neighboring Greenway High School, where this festival is celebrated with excitement, food and fun.

Take a sneak peak in what you will be in for. This is from the time Tbirds attended the festival at Greenway High School in 2009.

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To learn a little of how the dance is done, watch the following video:

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