Krishna Collection

Fraser Road, Patna, Bihar

Navratri is celebrated to give respect and honour to Goddess Durga for her victory over Demon Mahishasura. So it is the victory of dharma and peace over evil and ego. Navratri also celebrates the spirit of togetherness of Indian culture. Devotees of Goddess Durga offer prayers to the Goddess and wear traditional and colourful dresses to perform Garba and Dandiya.

RaasorDandiya Raasis the socio-religiousfolk danceoriginating from Indian state ofGujaratand popularly performed in the festival ofNavaratri.^[1][2]The dance is performed in theMarwarregion ofRajasthantoo.^[3]The etymology of Dandiya-Raas is in Sanskrit.^[4]Dandiya-raas exists in the different forms, including the collegiate competitive form.^[5]The dance style is now in a competitive format and a traditional format.^[5]

Men and women traditionally playdandiya-raasand the dance operates in pairs, meaning the group must contain an even number. Generally, two lines are formed, with partners facing each other:

The lines move clockwise, and each person steps forward to hit sticks with their partner, then moves on two people. At the end of the line, each turns and joins the line opposite, so the movement is continuous. The music starts very slowly [] It is an eight-beat time cycle called Kaherva and performed in the following manner: on the first beat, your own sticks are hit together, followed by right sticks with your partner, then left sticks (or the same stick if using one). Each one then turns away to the left to hit their own sticks together before turning back to the partner to hit the right sticks again, and before moving on two places to a new partner.^[6]