Crowds doubled this year at Hindu celebration for Navratri festival in Moncton
CBC
The Hindu community in Moncton is celebrating Navratri, a nine-day festival about the victory of good over evil.
According to the Hindu scriptures, the festival marks the fierce battle between the Hindu goddess Maa Durga and the powerful demon Mahishasura, which lasted for nine nights and 10 days.
During Navratri, a Sanskrit word meaning nine nights, members of the Indian community dedicate each day to a different avatar of Maa Durga over the course of the festival, and each avatar symbolizes something unique.
Kaivan Ganwani, who lives in Moncton but is originally from Gujarat, India, said they cleaned their house last Sunday and seated an image of Maa Durga in their temple.
Navratri formally began last Sunday and ends Tuesday but Moncton's celebration got under way a little early so more people could attend the main event.
Ganwani was one of many participants who won awards for their dancing skills and traditional outfits at early celebration at the Moncton Coliseum last weekend.
"I really feel great and I did dance with all of my heart," said Ganwani.
The two-day event was the second Navratri organized by the Gujarati Society of New Brunswick. Brijesh Dhameliya, the organization's secretary, said participation doubled from last year.
"Last year we had an attendance of 800 people a day," Dhameliya said, as he watched the dancing at the coliseum. "I could say it is around 1,600 people I can count now.
"I am afraid that next year I might have to find a bigger venue, and it will be a difficult task."
This year's food vendors represented eight Indian provinces.
The team added two "selfie booths" and brought in a DJ from Saskatchewan to perform because the team wanted someone who specialized in Gujarati Garba music, Dhameliya said.
"Last time we were, you know, playing the music on the tape recording, that has been replaced with the live DJ."
Next year the team plans to get a live band from India to perform.
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