CHICAGO: The Gujarati Samaj Chicago hosted its annual colorful Raas Garba festivity on Saturday September 28 at Manav Seva Mandir in honor of Goddess Durga and Amba Ma with participants and devotees overflowing the Mahalaxmi Hall.
Backless cholis, embroidered chania, colorful dhotis and kurtas and a kaleidoscope of saris were all out as Gujaratis in particular and others in general danced to the tunes with usual gusto. Lead vocalist and band leader and members of executive board started the program by offering a prayer. Suryakant Patel, president of executive board observed that “this type of organized event promotes Indian culture to the new generation who are born here”
The most fascinating was the Dandiya Raas. Colorful Dandiyas, some of them specially ordered from India, had a modern look. While the traditional Dandiyas are made of wood, it is now the age of aluminum and even colorful plastic. Some of the Dandiyas change color with every beat making it all the more fascinating. The non-stop Dandiya for 90 minutes left viewers spellbound by the fast rhythm and pace.
After a brief break and Aarti, the festive music of Dandia-Raas commenced again with enthusiastic participation by the audience. This lasted till early hours of the morning. Later, after the Puja, Prasad – varieties of Shiro, Panda, sweets and fruits – was distributed to all and advertisers.
Garba Prizes
There were 16 trophies awarded for the following categories:
Under 25 Years – Best Costume Male, Best Costume Female, Best Garba Raas Male, and Best Garba Raas Female. Over 25 Years Best Costume Male, Best Costume Female, Best Garba Raas Male, Best Garba Raas Female
Executive Board:
Suryakant Patel (President), Kamlesh Shah (Vice-President), Jayesh Parikh (General Secretary), Bhavesh Shah (Jt. General Secretary), Manish Pandya (Cultural Secretary), Deepen Modi (Treasurer), Sandip Shah (Jt. Treasurer).
Asian Media USA
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