RIVERSIDE: "I wait for Garba all year" confessed 16-year old Jenita Patel. "I count my days from when Garba ends until it starts" topped Chandni Ladwa. Everyone agreed that the Annual Navratri Garba at Riverside's Shri Lakshmi Narayan Mandir is a popular do-not-miss yearly event.

The devotees arrived dressed in heavily embroidered finery with sequins and beautiful jewellery, which reflected in the moonlight. A special silver Devi altar was lovingly placed in the center of the Mandir and beautifully decorated using expensive sarees and chunnis. It is around this altar that everyone danced during the 12-day celebration, which began Oct 12 and continued through Oct 21, concluding October 26 and 27.

Attendance was high, estimated at 1,000, drawn by the popular music of Jhankar Music Group, Hemant Mehta Group and Pareshbhai and Party. The Garba was organized by the team of Dinesh Patel, Akshaya Sheth, Dilip Amin and Bipin Patel. They put together a contest for the best decorated arati thali and a competition for best dressed/ best dancer.

Everyone was encouraged to participate since the categories included ages 1 to 100. New this year was a raffle drawing with 12 awesome expensive prizes.The teenagers and children danced tirelessly till 1 am. For them Garba is a time to put on special colorful clothing and to dance until dawn."Garba is a really good place to meet your friends and to be with your Indian community."

Explained teenager Bindya Ladwa. 15-year-old Sapna Patel added, "Navratri is a time to celebrate Hinduism and get blessings, not just a chance to dance and talk to new people." Sapna admitted that she got blisters on her feet from dancing and went to school exhausted every day.

"I wouldn't miss Garba for anything. I love it." 16-year-old Jenita Patel said "I wait for Garba all year." Her friend Chandni Ladwa topped her with, "I count the days from when Garba ends until it starts."