Banasthali Students Garba Razzle Dandiya Dazzle for Navratri 2018 Celebrations Galore

Navratri is a Hindu festival dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga and her nine avatars for a period of nine days. There are five Navratris in a year, out of which two are celebrated widely. One is Sharad Navratri, or Maha Navratri, which coincides with the popular Durga Puja and concludes with Dussehra and is celebrated around September - October. The other is Chaitra Navratri, which is celebrated in the Hindu month of Chaitra, which falls around March - April. The three other less celebrated Navratris are Gupt (Ashadha) Navratri (June – July), Paush Navaratri (December – January) and Magh (Gupt) Navratri (January – February).

To reinforce the fivefold education - Panchmukhi Shiksha, Banasthali has established a rich tradition of celebrating various days of national and international significance throughout the year. With students coming from different parts of India, the 850 acre Banasthali campus itself is a mini India echoing the lines of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore in National anthem “Panjaba-Sindhu-Gujarata-Maratha Dravida-Utkala-Banga.”

Garba and Dandiya are an integral part of the Maha Navratri celebrations. The fact is that Garba is performed before Aarti, a ritual in honour of the goddess, while Dandiya is performed after completion of Aarti, as a part of merriment. While Garba is performed to invoke the goddess, Dandiya symbolizes a mock fight between the goddess and the demon king Mahishasura.

The rich ethnic diversity of India truly came alive when the Banasthali campus celebrated Navratri Dandiya & Garba during Oct 12 – 18, 2018 evening 6 – 9 PM at Vidula Maidan. Considering the that Banasthali is world’s largest fully residential women’s university with 16000 students, for first two days 8 hostels each participated, for next three days seven hostels each participated, while for sixth day 6 hostels participated and seventh day was for students of 3 hostels as well as faculty and staff. Peaking with passion, Banasthalites dressed in colourful embroidered ghagra-cholis energetically whirled and moved their feet and arms in a choreographed manner to the rhythm of the music and drumbeats. Students who observe fast during Navratris get the prescribed food in the mess.

During the Navratri celebrations, the students and faculty of Banasthali add a spectrum of colours and gaiety to campus life and indeed rise above caste and creed and develop mutual respect for all religions. To quote Neeharika Agrawal third year BTech Chemical student of Banasthali from Mathura “The best thing about Dandiya night is the fact that it promotes inclusiveness and a great opportunity to make new friends from different parts of India.”

The students and faculty who had a razzle dazzle at the Dandiya Garba for Banasthali Navratri celebrations left with beaming faces and pride that they were indeed part of a top ranking institution which is a jewel in the crown among the women's universities not only in India today but across the globe.

For more details about Banasthali see http://www.banasthali.org/

About Banasthali: Established in 1935, the Institution which is also the largest fully residential women’s university in the world has played a big role in revolutionizing women’s education and empowerment in India for the last eight decades. Banasthali has scripted numerous success stories in a wide range of fields, and stands tall among the citadels of learning in India today. Proud to be Banasthali alumni who call themselves as Banasthalites can be found in all latitudes, longitudes and altitudes in all walks of life across the globe. Banasthali has the pride of being chosen as a Faculty Development Centre under the MHRD Govt of India Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya National Mission on Teachers and Teaching (PMMMNMTT) as well as for hosting Atal Incubation Centre (AIC) by NITI Aayog. Banasthali also has Quacquarelli Symonds QS Four Star Ranking and Diamond Status.

Banasthali Vidyapith
Banasthali Rajasthan – 304022
Phone 91 1438 228456 / 228341
Email: info@banasthali.ac.in
Website: http://www.banasthali.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Banasthali.org

This release was published on openPR.