The Rhineland Pioneer Centre was alive with vibrant colours, rhythmic beats, and joyous laughter as the Gujarati community hosted their first-ever Garba night in Altona.
This event was part of the annual Navratri celebration and brought together families and friends from across the Pembina Valley and Winnipeg, creating a memorable evening of cultural celebration and community bonding.
Local resident and business owner Nilesh Patel, who organized the event, expressed his delight at the turnout.
“There were about 75 people from Altona, Morris, Winkler, and Morden, and we just love that. This is the first time we’ve hosted this event, and we are very encouraged by this.”
Garba, a traditional dance from the northwestern Indian state of Gujarat, is more than just a dance; it is a form of worship and a celebration of life.
“This event is a cultural dance. It is performed by all ages, and it is a worship to God. We just pray to God, and we just move. In our home country, it is a creational Garba. We celebrate and pray for nine nights, and play the Garba, and then after every Garba, we ask God for a better future and better health,” Patel explained.
Navratri, which means “nine nights,” is a Hindu festival dedicated to the goddess Durga and her nine forms. It is celebrated with great fervor in various parts of India, each region adding its unique touch to the festivities. In Gujarat, it is marked by nine nights of dancing, where men and women come together to honour Durga through Garba.
“In India, it goes on continuously for nine days, but in our country, we take advantage of all the weekends,” said Patel. “This is the first time we are having it in Altona. It’s usually in Winnipeg and Brandon where they have such festivals, and everyone just enjoys it.”
The evening was filled with traditional music, dance, and the vibrant energy of participants dressed in colorful attire.
Patel says there is no script or special choreography
“It’s just a very happy celebration. We would love to be able to do this every year in Altona, as we do in our home country. Every year there is a celebration during a specific nine days. There are some celebrations where there are about 6,000 people. We all wear traditional dress. We don’t wear shoes, and we all dance in a circle. This year we have planned for one evening in Altona, but there are more celebrations in Winnipeg.”
The evening also included prayer and the lighting of candles, a significant act of devotion that symbolizes light and purity, representing the divine presence and the dispelling of darkness and ignorance. The candles are often waved in a circular motion in front of the deity as an offering of light.
The night concluded with a shared meal and, of course, more dancing.
Photo by Lori Penner/Voice
The Altona Gujarati community held a Navratri celebration at the Rhineland Pioneer Centre Saturday
