In a first, the 97-year-old Parsi sanatorium on Sabarmati Riverfront will host Garba this Navratri. Organised by Ushta-Te Foundation, an organisation that works for the welfare of Parsi community members, the Garba celebration will be held on September 30.
Parsi community members from all age groups are likely to attend this initiative. Mehr Medora, founder, Ushta-Te Foundation, said, "This is for the first time that we Parsis are organising Garba. The idea is to bring Parsis across all age groups on one platform to celebrate Navratri festival."
She added, "The aim is to bring the older Parsis and younger Parsis on one platform to share joy and celebrate the biggest festival of Gujarat. This platform will also help them bond informally."
Pervin Rustom Watchmaker, one of the volunteer of Ushta-Te Foundation, said, "We are not taking any help from professionals. Volunteers of Ushta-Te have downloaded songs. Maybe, we do not know how to play Garba the right way but we will play in a manner that we have observed for past many years."
He added, "We never went out of the way to organise a Garba-Dandiya event. Hence, this will be special for us."
Rustom said they are expecting 200 people to gather for the Garba event. "But, I do not know how many will be able to play Garba," he added.
Ushta-Te runs various initiatives under its umbrella, like a senior citizens' club, Zarthushti Awareness Group of Ahmedabad (ZAGA) that focuses on overall development of children, a ladies group and others.
Ushta-Te means 'happiness to you' and he foundation also provides educational loans and medical help to its members.
The Parsi Sanatorium compound at Sabarmati Riverfront faces threat if the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) implements its revised city development plan.
