Advani to inaugurate Navratri festival in Ahmedabad on Sep 30

Ahmedabad, Sep 27 (UNI) Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha L K Advani will inaugurate the 'Vibrant Gujarat Navaratri Festival 2008' at Gujarat University Ground here on September 30.

The nine-day festival, branded as 'Navashakti Gurjari', has been jointly organised by the Gujarat government and the Gujarat Industries Navratri Festival Society (GINFS).

Governor Naval Kishor Sharma will preside over the inaugural ceremony, while Chief Minister Narendra Modi and Parimal Nathvani, Group president of Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), who also heads the GINFS, will be present at the function.

Speaking to mediapersons here, GINFS chairman Mr Nathvani said ''Navratri means 'Nine Nights'. It is a colourful and ancient festival, honouring goddess Shakti, who, it is believed, sustains the entire universe, protects worshippers, destroys evil and generously grants boons to her devotees.'' Navratri, the dance festival, is held during the Gujarati calendar Aso Sud. Marked by uninhibited joy and religious fervour, it is celebrated with true devotion in the various temples dedicated to the goddess Shakti. Its most striking features included the folk dance 'garba' and its various other forms like 'gofan', 'garbi', 'teen tali', 'dandia ras', 'tippani', 'hinch' and 'hudo'.

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