To enjoy additional benefits
CONNECT WITH US
October 20, 2023 01:09 pm | Updated 01:26 pm IST
COMMents
SHARE
READ LATER
The festival has marked its strong presence in different parts of the city | Photo Credit: Thamodharan Bharath
It is 10.30pm. From deep inside the bylanes of Sowcarpet echoes the popular Gujarati ballad ‘Pa va the gadh thi’: Lugging my mirrored, sunshine yellow dupatta, I convince myself that the night is still young and walk into what seems like a quiet residential society only to be met with a glittery pandal, which is quickly filling up.
Whole families walk in as multi-coloured chaniya cholis and sequined odanis take over. Nimble arms sway while quick feet follow. They join friends and strangers, creating a rhythmic reverie in movement that wafts through the night. We are on Day 5 of Navratri, and Stop 1 of our night-long garba hop at Oswal Gardens in Korukkupet.
Chennai’s garba culture is well defined. From when whole streets in Sowcarpet were cordoned off for community-led dandiya/garba years ago, to today when traditional garba co-exists with DJ-led mashups in clubs and malls, the festival has marked its strong presence in different parts of the city. Here, each venue adopts a different flavour yet the end goal remains the same: celebration and community. We set out on a night-long garba trail to learn more about garba.
At garba and dandiya raas in Vidyasagar Oswal Gardens (for details, call 9840093995) an area of 18,000 sq ft is assigned for the event. Abinandhan, who is part of the organising committee, says, “We have people coming in from at least 15 different locations in the city, including Shollinganallur in OMR. For the first four days, the crowd usually comes up to 1,000 per day. The last two days might see up to 4,000 people.”
While 1am marks the cut-off time for the first four days, the nights can go on till at least 7am for the last few days | Photo Credit: Thamodharan Bharath
The event is now in its 10th year. Even COVID did not deter the festivities, says a proud Abinandan, quickly adding that all social distancing measures were enforced and that entry was restricted to only people in the society, which is otherwise ticketed. While 1am marks the cut-off time for the first four days, the nights can go on till at least 7am for the last few days.
While dancing is what drives every garba night, looking the part is equally important. “Normally in Chennai, it is very difficult to get these dresses. We have people from five or six flats in the society who bring the dresses mostly from Gujarat and Rajasthan, and sometimes Mumbai as well,” says Abinandan adding that the outfits are either bought or rented out at this time.
Speaker number 4 is not working. Please take care of it immediately: a message blares out of Naresh Kumar’s walkie-talkie as I step into my next stop for the day which is also the oldest garba night in the city at Dharmaprakash Kalyana Mandapam in Purasaiwalkam (for details, call 9003210657).
It is a little past midnight. Naresh is one of the 72-member crew that handles this mega event which sees a footfall up to 1,600 to 2,000 any given day.
At the corner of this predominantly red-hued venue with a carpet of flowers for a roof, is a row of brand new bicycles and a couple of Honda Activas. Pointing at them, Naresh says, “These are our mega prizes for the best dancers who will be selected on the ninth day at the grand round. On this day, finalists will dance continuously for two to three hours, and a host of judges will also be present.” Twenty-two dancers are selected on each of the eight days who go on to perform on the last day.
each venue adopts a different flavour yet the end goal remains the same: celebration and community | Photo Credit: Thamodharan Bharath
Here, traditional garba music fills the air as women twirl with elan: an occassional pair of dark sunglasses adds a chic touch. While there is a half-an-hour “DJ break” everyday featuring Bollywood songs, new and old, fervent enthusiasts like to keep it traditional. Deepali Dhamecha, who has been attending garba nights across venues in Chennai for the past 15-odd years, suggests this venue for precisely this. “For me, music matters. And space [for dancing] is something I really appreciate. With live music, there is a gradual increase in rhythm, making it easier to adapt to. DJ music does not have that sense of rhythm. After all, garba is all about grace.”
It’s 2am and our energy levels are draining quickly. In stark contrast, bursting with youthful vigour is Express Avenue’s atrium. It is DJ hour and popular Bollywood numbers (think: ‘Dhol baaje’) blare through the speakers as groups of friends, all dressed for the occasion, dance, singing the chorus in unison.
The shift in character is palpable: here traditional dance takes a backseat. One of the dancers, a student from MOP Vaishnav College for Women, says, “This is my second time here, and I come here for the Bollywood music they play. It’s a party.”
As the DJ hour concludes, the team quickly sweeps the carpet to get it ready for what is to follow. In the far corner, a group of three practise their moves diligently with dandiya sticks.
Dancers at Vidyasagar Oswal Gardens in Korukkupet | Photo Credit: Thamodharan Bharath
For the garba competition people over 20 are asked to form an outer circle, while the rest form a circle inside. Dandiya sticks come out. A modernised, largely Bollywood version of garba-dandiya raas is what follows.
Armed with a camera, Kushal Rathi joins in. A photographer who has been documenting dandiya/garba nights in the city for the last 11 years, he says, “The craze and madness of the people! To be able to dance through the night is truly fascinating.”
COMMents
SHARE
The Hindu MetroPlus
BACK TO TOP
Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.
We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.
