The Herricks High School gym was filled with a sea of swirling color on Saturday night as Indian-Armericans danced in bright, traditional costumes to celebrate Sharad Navrati, a festival to honor the Hindu goddess Durga.
Approximately 400 Indian-Americans of all ages attended the Navrati observance sponsored by the Herricks Indo U.S. Community, which organized the festival.
The observance included traditional Indian food, traditional Indian tunes performed live by Tirangaa Musical Melodies, and the vividly colorful dresses that are worn for Navrati.
As music played with an uptempo beat, women and men danced in large circles around a central point in the gym where two representations of Durga stood. The Indian folk dancing was a series of proscribed movements with the dancers swirling and dipping. They changed direction in sync to the rhythm of the music in a dazzling display of the multi-colored costumes the women and girls wore.
“It keeps the tradition going, the clothes, the food, the religion,” said Sumark Desai, president of the Herricks Indo-U.S. Community.
He said the celebration was particularly important for young Indian Americans who’ve never seen Navrati celebrations in India. And, he said, the women enjoy donning the colorful dresses reserved for the occasion.
Desai said the Navrati celebration brings the community together and the dancing itself is a religious observance.
“It’s a community work and it’s nice to see everybody on the dance floor. We pray by dancing,” said Bali Baljinder, one of the women who helped plan the event.
The first Navrati celebrations at Herricks High School were held in 2003, the year after the Herricks Indo-U.S. organization was established.
“This is a cultural program. The new generation from here can keep the tradition,” said Dr. Mayank Patel, one of the founding members of the Herricks Indo-U.S. Community.
“We come because we’re not in India,” said Maya Desai, a sophomore at Herricks High School. “We like to be part of the culture. We love to dress up and we get to hang out together.”
“It’s a great experience. All my friends come,” said Herricks High sophomore Kunwar Sharma. “It’s a way to get back to our roots.”
Patel said the organization was formed in response to the growing number of Indian-American families that lived in the Herricks School District. Its mission is to help the community understand the workings of the Herricks school system and encourage active participation in it, to enhance communication among the members and the community at large and to promote community activities that create an understanding of the Indian culture.
There are more than 800 Indian American families currently living in New Hyde Park, Williston Park, Roslyn Heights and Manhasset Hills.
All those attending the second weekend of Navrati Festival 2013 on Oct. 12 paid a $7 entry fee and also paid for food and beverages, with the money going to defray costs of the event the non-profit organization incurred.
Sumark Desai said the balance of funds collected each year goes to the Herricks School District. Last year, he said funds the organization raised helped Herricks High School students plant an organic garden and pay for cafeteria equipment.
But, Desia said, most important part of the Navrati celebration was observing Indian traditions – particularly the dance and the colorful dress – and bringing the area’s Indian-Americans together as well as non Indian-Americans.
The Saturday night celebration included many non-Indians.
Some of those celebrating Navrati on Saturday night were Herricks High School alumni who had been coming to the event for several years before and during high school.
“It’s a way to keep in touch with our tradition,” said Nabiha Keshwani, a Herricks alum who is now a freshman at Cornell University.
The chance to reconnect with friends and join in the celebration with the rest of the Herricks Indian-American community also attracted Keshwani and her friends.
“I like how everyone gets together celebrating Navrati,” said Aditi Mandalaywala, a Herricks grad who is now a freshman at Drexel University.
Navrati traditionally spans nine days. The Herricks Indo U.S. group has extended that bit, with the first night’s celebration at Herricks High on Oct. 5 and the final night’s celebration on Friday night, Oct. 18 at 8 p.m.
