Appy Navratri for garba enthusiasts

Gone are days when a new settler in the city had to rush to

garba

classes and designers to get ready for some raas revelry. Now, everything is just an app away, with a number of mobile

apps

now even providing the latest steps and trends to rock this Navratri. With just 20 days away from the festival to kick start, it’s time to warm up and not wait for your computers to boot up — just download an app to make your lives easier.

“Going physically everywhere is tedious and not feasible. So, using apps is the smart way out,” says Aashka Pandit, a young professional.

Since apps already have all the information stored at one place, it is easy to use. One does not have to wait for various websites to load. Also, there is a lot of speed and volume of information in the apps.

While there are many types of apps, the Native apps top the list. “These apps can be accessed through the icons on your home screen,” says Anand Thakkar, an app developer. Going beyond the mere presence of this app, there are also native apps specific to Navratri that would take you back to roots. They mostly have your age old customs, rituals,

arti

, puja, recipes to fasting and attires to offer.

So what if you do not have Maa Durga temple in your vicinity? You have your smart phone! “When we had shifted from Kolkata to Gujarat, my mother was missing her visits to a Durga temple. I just downloaded an app for her that had the devotional songs and aartis which she would play daily during the puja,” says Priyankana Banerjee, an entrepreneur.

Ashish Nair, an architecture student from Kerala is a frequent user of one of the Navratri apps to learn tran taali and Dodhiyu. He says, “When I first shifted to Gujarat, I could hardly connect with the vibrant culture of the state. I found the way out and installed an app in my phone to learn everything possible and mingle with the local people here.” Since many don’t have time to get professional training of garba, these apps are handy and serve the purpose everywhere. It also helps in building relationships and explore every possible culture. Also, if you don’t have any idea of what is to be worn, you can simply rely on the apps to guide you things. “Take a simple example of ways to wear a dupatta, but now I know a number of ways to do this, all thanks to the app,” says Kirti Shah, an engineer.

While the apps in a way interact with the people, many doubt on the credibility of its content. “The idea of creating and using such apps is definitely appreciable. It helps youngsters connect to the traditional rituals and customs. It connects members of different generations through a common medium provided, the content is verified,” says Kanika Awasthi, an app user. There should be uniformity on the content of apps and it should be in sync with the existing literature.

So, are you ready to make your life simpler by installing one of those handy apps?