Born fully grown and beautiful, the Hindu Goddess Durga is often depicted riding a lion or tiger. She represents divine feminine powers and protects the universe from evil.
Kew Gardens-based dance school Vivarta Arts celebrates Navratri, an annual homage to Durga, with four hours of Garba and Dandiya lessons and performances at the Unisphere in Flushing Meadows Corona Park on Saturday, Sept. 30, starting at 5 pm.
Entitled “Garba Around the Globe 2023,” the festive, four-hour event also features various Indian street food vendors and DJ Magic Mike, who will create an electrifying atmosphere with Indian and Desi hits.
All ages are welcome, and colorful, fun outfits are encouraged.
Tickets cost $15.
Garba (top photo) is a community circle dance with roots in the northwestern Indian state of Gujarat. It exalts life’s cyclical nature while noting that God always remains unchanged. Participants gather in a large circle — or circles within circles if enough people are there. They clap their hands to the rhythm of the music.
Dandiya (bottom photo) is similar to Garba, but dancers form two circles in which they face each other, hit sticks together to the beat of six, and move to the other participants.
Vivarta Arts has performed all around the borough, sometimes as part of the Queensboro Dance Festival. The troupe’s artistic and executive director, Preya Patel, is a master in Kathak or Classical North Indian dance.
Images: Vivarta Arts