Gujarati Group offers free Garba Workshop
Venkat Raman
A young Gujrati organisation is putting together a Free Garba Workshop followed by a Garba Night in Auckland next month.
‘Gujarati Sahitya Mandal New Zealand’ is organising the events respectively on September 1 and September 8, 2019.
Sonal Bhavsar-Joshi, the young woman who is conducting these programmes with her team, said that the Free Garba Workshop will be held on Sunday, September 1, 2019 from 2 pm at the Western Springs Garden Community Hall, located at 966, Great North Road, while the ‘Let’s Go Garba Night’ will be held on Friday, September 6, 2019 from 7 pm at Barfoot & Thompson Stadium, 203 Kohimarama Road.
Free Garba Workshop
Sonal has been teaching Garba for the past four years, as she believes that the knowledge of arts and culture should be shared and promoted.
“It is my social duty to preserve and pass this beautiful culture onto the next generation and to the wider communities. As a Committee Member of the Gujarati Sahitya Mandal New Zealand, my colleagues and I hope to evince the wider interests of New Zealanders in general and Aucklanders in particular. Garba is performed at many events and I hope that the Workshop will attract more people this year,” she said.
Sonal follows a step-by-step approach so that beginners will understand and follow the art. There is no age limit to learn Garba and hence it is open to all.
Ratri Before Navratri
Navratri, the nine nights of festivities mainly for women, will be celebrated this year from September 29 to October 8, 2019. However, ‘Ratri before Navratri,’ is conducted in many parts of the world to primarily bring together young people, although parents and elders also participate in this unique celebration.
Sonal said that the event held last year enlisted enthusiastic response.
“More than 1500 people attended, making it the largest event of the Mandal. It was a pleasure watching community members dancing in their traditional attire and enjoying at their fullest. A live band was in attendance, adding to the quality of the programme,” she said.
This year’s event, called, ‘Let’s Go Garba’ is expected to attract more people .
About Gujarati Sahitya Mandal
Incorporated as a not-for-profit organisation in May 2016, Gujarati Sahitya Mandal New Zealand comprises a well-knit ream of people passionate about preserving and promoting Gujarati Arts, Culture, Language and Literature.
“As well as providing a ‘comfort zone’ to the senior members of the community, the Organisation connects the younger generation with the values of Gujarati culture and tradition through cultural programmes and other events.
“These programmes are free and open to all, and help us to connect with the Gujarati Diaspora. Such events soak the community in the rich arts and culture of Gujarat and help those looking for a cultural connection and sense of belonging,” she said.
Sonali teaches the Garba step-by-step
