Navaratri represents a celebration of the Goddess Amba. While we knew only about fasting and Ashtmi in Ludhiana (puri, cholle and halwa), Mumbai has a different dimension to this festival. Along with fasting we also have lighting, music, pandal, garba and dandiya in Mumbai estyle Navratri.
I have always been an introvert, I very well remember my first navratri in Mumbai. I use to stay in Koparkhairane and there was this society in Vashi where almost half of my office use to for Garba.
I was too scared or shy or whatever to go out first year. 2nd year finally I landed at that place and believe me it was an amazing experience. We started playing in a group of 15 -20 a different garba (something like flash mob) and soon many others joined in.
That was garba some 8 -10 years back. While dancing 2 things were important dance steps and WOH.
WOH could be any girl whom almost 20 - 30 boys would be targeting at one time. We don't know name, don't know status (married, engaged or single) but we will dance for her. It was like "Basanti kutto ke samne nahi, Kutte basanti ke ke samne nach rahe ho ".
Time has changed, garba has changed (more commercial), songs have changed, ticket prices have changed but WOH still exists.
Am I right guys ? Most of you who agree are in category 1 - who accept that they do look at WOH--- good job
Now there is category 2 -- who do look at WOH but don't accept -- few of us are like this also.
There is category 3 also - who don't look at WOH but perception is that they look only at WOH.
Married men mostly fall in Category 1 (I am joking).
Okay….category 3 - lying.
Alright, I would say category 3 or 2. Either misunderstood by wives or they don't understand that wife is around.
Our complex also had garba and I also participated actively this year (as treasurer). Being a committee member I had to be there in evening from Aarti to garba. While I don't enjoy garba much, I had duty of managing Saachi coz Malkin wanted to dance. At end of day 1 while -I was happy coz things went smooth - my happiness was in interrupted with a big question mark "kiski taraf dekh rahe theee tum, WOH kaun thi.
Kaun ? I said
"WOH because of whom you are so happy". Fact is I was not looking at any one but still she wanted to know about WOH. Then I realized that while dancing Malkin was concentrating (correct word is policing)on me instead of dance steps.
This WOH question cropped up almost all days. Mostly I was in category 2 or category 3. But last day was very difficult coz I was category 1 . When she asked " WOH kaun thi". I was not sure which one she was referring to coz I was looking at few WOH's that day.
While I won't tell you how I escaped that day, I sincerely request all my friends to be a good citizen, play garba, play dandiya aur WOH ....... kam mat karna jiska fine malkin ko GOLD mein dena pade.
Till then keep smiling keep shining and prepare for next year’s garba, dandiya aur WOH .......
