Gujarat readies up for Navratris

Gandhinagar, Sep 17: It is festive time in Gujarat as Navratris draw near.

Artistes from France, Astrakhan, Israel and five other countries will be participating in the colourful celebrations, which get underway here from September 23.

They will be presenting glimpses of their culture and identity in their performances. Troupes from Bhutan, Indonesia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are also expected to join in the programme.

Over 200 artists from 14 other Indian states have already arrived and are busy doing their rehearsals, a government official said today.

While dancers from Manipur will be presenting their 'Holi' dance, the Pung cholam and also the Khanta martial arts, those from Kerala will stage the Mohiniattam and Kalalripattu dance forms. Himachalis will regale the audiences with Radha and Krishna's raasa, while troupes from Orissa will perform 'Dasabhuja Goti pua' and Odissi dance and the artistes from Punjab will add to the excitement with the traditional Giddha dance.

There will also be fire-balancing acts in brass pots to be done by a troupe from Rajasthan,as part of a Chari dance show.

Cultural troupes from Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Haryana, West Bengal, Mizoram etc. are also participating in the celebrations.

Different types of 'garbas' and dandiya raas will be presented by groups from across Gujarat, especially from Dang, Sagbara, Thangarh, Bharuch, Porbander, Jamkhambaliya, Surat, Bardoli, Rajkot, Bhavnagar, Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad.

UNI