hyderabad it was subdued celebrations last year due to pandemic curbs but this year the nineday festival of navratri has got off to a grand and traditional startthe gujarati and marwari communities in the city are gearing up for big dandiya and garba events this year unlike last years restricted festivities in small gatherings at apartmentssince we missed the celebration last year we are going to make the most of it this time dasara festivities every year attract thousands most of us are now vaccinated so we are ready to participate in outdoor festivities and dandiya sessions this year said priyanka agarwal from the marwari communityboth the marwari and gujarati communities celebrate the festival in a similar fashion except for a few specific traditions of their own one marwari tradition is that for nine days we keep wheat in a new pot in a corner and add water daily on the day of dasara we use the wheat leaves for puja said bhavna jain a resident of sindhi colonywhile its wellknown that gujaratis play garba during navratri celerations few are aware that there is dance around a garbi at home first we place a garbi which is a decorated matka and with a diya inside at home first after puja every evening the women dance around the garbi and thats why the dance is called garba said ruchika kapadia who organises dandiya and garba events in the cityprakash jadeja who has been organising these festivities for the past several years in the city added according to the ritual we have been doing maata ki puja and after that start the garba sessions either in our apartment complexes hotel or convention centre depending on the convenience of community members