City colleges rev up for Navratri celebrations

While everyone is preparing to hit the various garba venues across the city, some youngsters wait for their colleges to kickstart the festivities. Students, past and present, wait for that night when they are free to add some vibrant colours to the campus.
Abhishek Choudhary, student member of the cultural committee, Nirma University, giving out the details about garba at their campus, says, “We have organized a garba night on October 7, but it is open only for the students of management institute and hostel-ites.” Choudhary adds that Nirma organizes garba on two nights each year, of which one is only by and for the students of management institute and the other is open for all students of the university.
While a few colleges in the city organise garba and open its doors only to their students, there are colleges where even outsiders are given entry.
L D alumni association (LAA) have been organizing garba every year for the past 16 years. “We have organized garba on October 4 and 5 this year. Prahar Vora will be coming on October 4 and Bhumik Vora will be there on October 5. We have around 13,000 people coming for garba each day” says Atul Shah, secretary, LAA.
Garba at colleges like CEPT and NID have a very different atmosphere. CEPT organizes sheri garba while students of NID perform garba with diyas. These colleges invite a dholi and conduct garba in the traditional form.
Rajesh Ravani, secretary, HL College Alumni Association says, “We have been hosting the garba at the college premises every year since the inception (of the college garba). This year the garba will be organized on October 8-9, as it’s a weekend and easier for everyone to have a more enjoyable Navratri.” Samir Raval and Darshan Gandhi will be performing on October 4 and 5 respectively.
While colleges in the city host garbas with the same enthusiasm as private garba venues, college garbas are open only for a day or two. Most top colleges have an entry for all code;while a few organize garba only for their alumni.
Rajeshwari Sahay, member of media and PR team at MICA says, “The garba event at our institute is organized on October 8 and 9. On October 8 a cultural night will be organised where students from all city colleges will be invited.The next evening will be an open house with a DJ coming over to play the music.” The event at MICA will be open for outsiders and outsiders will need special passes and students their ID cards to gain entry.