« Back to article

Print this article

Images: Navratri revelry in full swing!

We bring you a picture presentation of Navratri celebrations in India and abroad.

Dance till you drop -- that certainly seems to be the mantra when it comes to the nine nights of Navratri, when youngsters in colourful, traditional attire grooving into the wee hours.

We decided to capture some of the action on camera and here, we offer you glimpses of the lively festive proceedings.

Here, a young reveller twirls to show of her vibrant outfit at a dandiya mandal in Mumbai.

Two to tango

A young couple swing it in their traditional togs -- don't miss that his outfit has more 'bling' than hers!

Haze of colours

Dancers show off every hue of the rainbow and then some as they make the most of things.

The little ladies

Two little girls smile shyly at the flashbulbs as they join in the festivities along with adults. Fun for all!

Vim and vigour

Leaping and prancing, this gentleman put his all into it and drew quite a bit of attention!

All aglow

Glowing with enthusiasm, a pretty maiden shows in an eye-catching ensemble and accessories goes with the flow.

Harem scarem

Not all youngsters opt for a traditional get-up, but they still get into the spirit of things with great enthusiasm -- this smiling teenager stands out in her cool harem pants and tank top.

Stepping up

The majority, however, make the most of Navratri to bring out the ghagaras and cholis in full force -- and don't they look lovely?

Trying for the tattooed effect

A young man shows off designs on his biceps and a message painted on his back that proclaims his love for dancing.

Mirror, mirror...

You could have caught your reflection in her heavily-embellished ensemble as this young woman swayed and swished to Hare Rama Hare Krishna.

Me too!

Not to be outdone, another Western-clad lovely gave the camera a taste of her twists.

International influence

And hey, it's not only the Western-clad who join in the revelry! Get a load of these American beauties doing the Garba in Somerset, New Jersey.

Stage duty

Getting Somerset to dance to his tunes was none other than singer Devang Patel, clad in his colourful best.

A taste of India

Of course, while a few Americans did get to sample the flavour of Indian dandiya, there's no doubt that it was the NRIs who had the most fun, recapturing a taste of their much-missed homeland.

Tiny dancer

Back in India, it's also a celebration for all and sundry and some of the children could teach us a thing or two, like this tyke!

Bangle jangle

Another remarkable outfit that caught our eye was this one, hung with pom poms, mirrors and bangles from neck to toe.

Presiding deity

Of course, there is a spiritual side to Navratri too -- seen here is a lovely statue of the goddess Durga at the Naidu Club Dandiya Raas Mandal in Kora Kendra, Mumbai.

Celebrity patron

Several celebrities also turn up to pay their respects on the occasion of Durga puja -- this year, Dia Mirza visited the North Bombay Sarbojanin Durga Puja in Santacruz, Mumbai.

Pious state of mind

Following suit was filmmaker Ashutosh Gowarikar, also at the same venue.

Family offering

And finally, we have Rani Mukherjee with her mother in tow, attending the Balkan ji Bari Durga Puja, also in Mumbai.