Hi folks, how are you all doing?
I am back in my home country for two weeks just to enjoy my favorite festival—Navratri. Before flying out, while I was still in Dublin, I joined a Garba workshop. For anyone who may not know, Garba is a traditional folk dance performed during Navratri, usually in big circles with music, clapping, and singing. For me, it is not only about the garba steps, but also about the energy, rhythm, and celebrating together.

To be honest, when me and my friends first enrolled to the workshop, we were not sure what to expect. Some workshops I have seen are more about the instructors showing off their skills rather than teaching. However, this workshop turned out to be very different. Thanks to Vivek Malkan and Parth Parekh , everyone felt included—whether you were a complete beginner or someone like me who has been playing Garba for many years. My friends, who find difficulties in learning the garba steps before, picked it up quickly, and nobody felt left out. That was the best part.The workshop was not just about learning the steps—it was about celebrating the festival together.

I have been dancing Garba for about ten years now, and the funny thing is this: I cannot last two hours in the gym, but four hours of Garba feels like only a warm-up. The workshop helped me polish my moves and reminded me exactly why I love this dance so much. More than just learning, it gave me the energy and excitement I needed before heading home.

As soon as I reached Mumbai, I went straight to see Falguni Pathak, the queen of Garba songs. Imagine this: a 14-hour journey, only 6 hours of sleep, and yet I still managed to dance for five hours non-stop that night. That is the magic of Navratri—it keeps you going no matter how tired you are.

After that, I traveled to Gujarat to watch Aditya Gadhvi perform. His music blends Gujarati folk with a modern style, and the way he sings about the land and its culture feels deeply moving. Dancing under the night sky to his songs was one of those moments where you feel completely connected—to the place, to the people, and to the music itself and cherry on top was being with my best friend.

Honestly, I do not know how I managed to do it all while running on so little sleep. But I think that is exactly what festivals are about—you forget the exhaustion and simply live in the moment.

I am not saying everyone should celebrate Navratri, but I do hope that whatever festival you love makes you feel the same way—joyful, glowing, and truly content.

A big thanks again to Vivek Malkan ( insta id: @longhairguy9) and Parth Parekh
(insta id: @parthparekh1803) for teaching with so much patience and making the workshop so much fun. If you are in Dublin and looking to learn Garba or simply want to see more of what they do, definitely check out their Instagram.

So tell me—which festival makes you feel like it is truly yours?