HYDERABAD: From extravagant `dandiya balls' being held at posh
convention centres
to `disco dandiya nights' at bars and clubs, the
Dasara festivities
in hi-tech Hyderabad have been given a modern and flamboyant spin this season. Decked in their ethnic best, revellers are seen flocking to these galas in thousands to dance together and gorge on lip-smacking delicacies. The festivities within clubs, where patrons can swing to the beat of the dhol while taking swigs from their beer upon payment of an entry fee, are found drawing a lot of interest.
“Dandiya and garba are both simply a fusion of fast beats and vigorous dance moves, both of which form an integral part of any nightclub with a dance floor. This is why we decided to organise a disco dandiya night within the bar itself. A DJ, who will spin rhythms very similar to the music of the dhol, has also been roped in for the event,“ said Upender K, manager of Drunkyard in Gachibowli, which has been holding the celebrations titled `Disco Wala Dandiya' within the bar for the past two days.
The Dandiya Ball at JRC Convention Centre, where fusion of the traditional and the modern seemed to be the central theme, was also a big hit.
“While
Dasara has always been a traditional affair, I decided to try something different this season. This included clashing ethnic and chic outfits and dancing to the beats of the DJ, rather than the dhol player. The venue was also inside closed doors rather than at an open ground,“ said Diya Rohira, a techie who decided to give the crowded garba venues a miss this year.
Alongside such `modern' Dasara parties, also found flooding the gated communities and townships in Cyberabad such as Pebble City and Hill City , were the more conventional Durga Puja pandals. Featuring on top of this list was the festivities organised by the 500-families-strong Cyberabad Bengali Association in Miyapur.
“This year the pandal, made of jute and thermocol, and the Durga idol have been designed to replicate their counterparts in Kolkata. In fact, the idol was made on request by a sculptor from Kumartuli. Cultural events held in the evening are attended by over 6,000 people on an average,“ said Subho Mukherjee, president of CBA.
But unlike other years, the association has also tied up with social workers and NGOs to raise money `for a cause'. “The profits made by selling T-shirts at the venue will be matched by the CBA 's contribution, after which it will be used for a social cause,“ he said. Also seen making the most of the Dandiya fever are dance schools and institutes in the region, which are offering nine-hour dandiya classes and garba workshops to help revellers.