Thousands will gather this week as part of an ancient Indian festival to be celebrated in Moncton.
Gujarati Samaj of New Brunswick will hold its annual Navratri Festival on Friday and Saturday at the Moncton Coliseum.
“It’s an ancient Indian festival celebrated all over India. It’s celebrated in the north and east, in the south, and it is a festival season right now. Gujarat, my state, is one of India’s 30 states. We celebrate Navratri for nine nights continuously, and that’s why it’s the biggest festival in the Gujarat region,” said President Ruchit Vachhrajani.
The celebrations here are more condensed than those in India. The Navratri Festival in Moncton starts at around 6 pm on Friday, September 26 and runs until around 2 am Saturday.
More than 3500 people attended last year, and even more are expected this year.
If you have never attended a Navratri Festival before, you may be wondering what you can expect.
“Amazing music, authentic Indian food, Garba dance form, colourful clothing and an opportunity to be part of the biggest festival in India, and it’s not like you will be seeing and watching everybody dance. You will be joining us together. There will be traditional clothing to try, and it will make you feel like you are in a Bollywood movie,” Vachhrajani explained.
He adds that this festival allows their group to create a place where all cultures can come together to celebrate, dance, and share.
