Mumbai Prepares for Sharadiya Navratri as Garba Rehearsals Begin Across Suburbs

Garba venues across Mumbai have lit up with daily rehearsals ahead of the Sharadiya Navratri festival scheduled from October 11 to 20, with Borivli standing as the hub of the city's dandiya circuit alongside Goregaon, Malad, Mulund, and Ghatkopar. Organisers and artistes across these suburban centres are finalising preparations for large-scale gatherings across multiple grounds.

Prominent performers are slated to perform at major venues across the city. Singer Falguni Pathak will perform at Jio BKC, while sister duo Preeti-Pinky is scheduled at Inorbit Malad. Folk singers Kinjal Dave and Geeta Rabari, known as 'Kutch ni Koyal', are lined up to perform in separate sections at Kora Kendra in Borivli, where veteran organiser Ganesh Naidu is hosting Dave alongside Rabari's loyal following.

Infrastructure preparations are underway to handle weather conditions and large crowds. Kora Kendra has promised lakhs of square feet of playing area equipped with wooden floors and protective canopies designed to ward off rain. In the eastern suburbs, an event organised by BJP MLA Mohit Kotecha at the Kalidas ground in Mulund is set to draw Gujarati revellers in large numbers.

In Goregaon, Parthiv Gohil will lead the music at NESCO with his troupe. Speaking on their preparations, Gohil said, "Our Rangilo Re troupe has been performing at NESCO since 10 years. We have loyal audiences who come at 7.00pm and stay till the end. They prepare special costumes and props."

Gohil added that while musical traditions remain intact, technical arrangements continue to evolve for the performances. "We cannot experiment too much with garba songs but our musicians and technicians always explore new sounds and techniques," he said.

The upcoming festival will also see the return of veteran organiser Sankalp, marking a comeback to the city's dandiya scene after a gap of 14 years.