Vibrant garlands draped across the gym lobby, filling the space with bursts of green, orange and yellow that transformed it into a lively celebration for Garba. At the heart of the gym stood a sacred statue of the goddess Durga, embodying the spirit and significance of the holiday of Navaratri.
For many attendees, the sight evoked memories of their home country of India, a comforting reminder of tradition, while for others, the immersive decorations and atmosphere offered an inspiring first glimpse into the richness of Indian culture.
Hosted by the Indian Cultural Awareness Club (ICAC) on Oct. 4 with around 400 attendees, the school’s third Garba was especially meaningful, reflecting the strong presence of Indian Americans in the community.
Garba is a traditional celebration of Navaratri where students and families gather to dance in the Gujarati style, moving in a lively circle. A second dance, Dandiya, has participants pair up and involves clashing colorful, decorated sticks in rhythm with the music.
“Getting to do Dandiya with everyone that constantly shifts partners was the most fun part of the night, seeing everyone connect with a smile on their face,” senior ICAC officer Shaan Janardhan said.
However, with an earlier date this year to avoid schedule conflicts with Homecoming, ICAC members had to put in extra effort to make sure everything came together with the limited preparation time.
“Together, we broke every task down and split up roles. Some of our parents did ticketing, some were in charge of food and others were in charge of decorations,” senior ICAC officer Juhi Karamcheti said. “It was just an idea in our heads at first, but once we had all the decorations set up, everything truly came together. We were very grateful to the parents for helping out so much.”
ICAC began organizing Garba about a month in advance, offering volunteer hours to students who helped with the intricate setup both the day before and the day of the event. Junior Kritika Kalani said that ribbons, flower garlands and sarees — a traditional piece of Indian womens’ clothing — were just some of the many decorations that adorned the lobby and gym, enveloping attendees in the spirit of the festival.
“Garba was a really good experience to hang out with friends in a way that’s more connected to our cultures,” sophomore Meera Minocha said. “I really enjoyed the food and dances and I thought the photo spot was well-decorated.”
The event welcomed people from all backgrounds, reinforcing the club’s message of unity and inclusion. Garba provided a joyful occasion for the community to come together, experience Indian traditions firsthand and make lasting memories.
As the night wound down, the energy soared when the music took a turn and students broke out into a spontaneous mosh to “FE!N” by Travis Scott, bringing an exciting fusion of tradition and modernity to the night’s finale. This moment perfectly illustrated how Garba transcended cultural boundaries and united everyone in celebration.
“For me, Navaratri is my favorite holiday and I’ve always loved going to Garba and Dandiya events with my family,” Janardhan said. “I’ve been doing Garba with my mom for as long as I can remember and being half Gujarati, I was happy to create an opportunity for the larger community to connect with our culture and participate.”
