Vadodara Gears Up For Navratri Festivities

[Guest guest]

Here's a report from Vadodara (Baroda), Gujurat, in Northwest India,

site of much Hindu-Muslim violence in recent weeks and months. Taken

from today's HPI dispatch, and the "Times of India" (Times News

Network, Monday, Sept. 30, 2002 12:06:36 AM):

 

VADODARA: It's time for nine nights of fun. Though apprehensions

about terrorist attacks loom large after the recent spate of violence

in the state, most citizens of Vadodara plan to enjoy Navratri with

the same vigour as ever.

 

They also feel that limiting the festivity to 10 pm, as per a Supreme

Court judgement, is not fair.

 

They say it is the festival of nine nights and closing the

celebrations as early as 10 pm would be ridiculous.

 

Garba enthusiasts say that though they are worried by the recent

attacks, Navratri celebrations cannot be stalled.

 

There is, however, some amount of uncertainty regarding the garba

timings as the city police have written to the state government to

declare the official time limit for the celebrations.

 

But most garba organisers feel that the BJP would not want to hurt

the sentiments of the people by limiting the festivities to 10 pm,

which traditionally is the time when garbas begin here and continue

till after midnight.

 

According to garba enthusiast Parul Dhruv and her teenage daughter,

despite feeling insecure after the attacks, they want to make the

most of their favourite festival and have already started preparing

for it.

 

"Navratri comes just once a year. Though I feel insecure, I believe

life has to go on and one cannot live in fear. I will certainly go

out and enjoy the festivities. It's a risk, but I also have faith in

the security measures that the organisers would be taking," said

Dhruv.

 

Meanwhile Sushma Oza, executive director of United Way of Baroda, one

the biggest garba organisers here, said, "The response for

participant passes is encouraging. The issuing of donor passes has

been affected by the temple attack and the 'bandhs', we may extend

the last date. The time limit has not been decided yet by the state

government, but we plan to follow their directive," she said.

 

Oza added that necessary security arrangements would be made.

 

Yogesh Akolkar, organiser of United Arkie, the other major garba

organiser here, says that the people of Vadodara are not affected by

the terrorist attacks.

 

"We are getting a good response from people. The people here would

definitely come out to celebrate Navratri. Though no directive has

come in from the state government yet on the timings of garba, we

expect it to remain unchanged," he said.

 

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/articleshow?

artid=23701621