Belles of Navratri

Celebrated for nine long days with feverish fervour, Navratri is dedicated to all the nine forms of Goddess Durga. Here's a photo tribute to the graceful women at Navratri, looking nothing short of goddesses themselves.

The mother of all belles - Ma Amba

Chaniya Choli or ghaghra choli, is the traditional attire for Navratri. They are vibrant and colourful constumes with aari work [embroidery] and abhla work [mirror work], that's traditional of Gujarat. Girls have a new attire for every single day, especially if they are serious dancers taking part in the 9 day dance contest. The ghagras look resplendent when flaring out mid-dance.

Communities come together to dance in unison during garba, a seemingly simple dance that involves clapping, where the crowd moves together in a synchronised circular movement.

Young girls are particularly enthusiastic about dressing traditionally, in fact, going quite rustic with their accessories and make-up.

The music is live and ranges from very traditional Gujarati songs to songs that are set to catchy Bollywood tunes. Eventually, the tempo picks up and the dancers change their pace and appear to be flying. The ones with the most stamina outlast others.

Bangalore's most popular and traditional Navratri celebration takes place in Palace Grounds, organised by Vaishnav Samaj.

I would like to thank Vaishnav Samaj, Bangalore, for the photo opportunity at their Navratri event.