Gujarati Mandal Garba & Dandiya Navratri Festival 2024 - 4 and 5 October

THE 57TH ANNUAL GARBA & DANDIYA FESTIVAL

The folk dance festivities for Gujarati Mandal of Central Ohio's (GMOCO) annual flagship event - Garba & Dandiya Festival are set to unfold on October 4 and 5 marking a tradition that has graced our community for 57 incredible years. The largest community Garba & Dandiya festival in Ohio is hosted in the heart of Central Ohio at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. The nightingale of Gujarati folk dance music - Vatsala Patil and her group will be performing live at the event. The Garba & Dandiya folks dances are performed during the Navratri festival.

This year's event is truly extraordinary with five special initiatives:

• Garba & Dandiya Workshop: Free lessons in Gujarati folk dance for all age groups in the two weeks leading up to the event. Learn more: https://gmoco.org/gdw 
• Cultural Ambassador: Our members have the opportunity to extend a warm welcome to someone of non-Asian Indian heritage to join the festivities with their entry ticket graciously covered by GMOCO. Discover more: https://gmoco.org/ca 
• Folk Dance Showcase: Experience the vibrant energy excitement and colors of Gujarati culture at our Folk Dance Showcase featuring a series of curated performances highlighting the rhythmic beauty of traditional dances like Garba and Raas. 
• Junior Garba Jam: A kid-friendly zone specially designed for our young folk dance enthusiasts complete with dedicated instructors. Explore further: https://gmoco.org/jgj 
• Kanya Puja: Participate in the auspicious ceremony celebrating the feminine power on the first day of Navratri Saturday October 5. Additional info: https://gmoco.org/kp

About Vatsala Patil

Vatsala Patil is one of the most Iconic Gujarati Folk singers from Gujarat India. Her passion for singing and life long journey of recording over 8000 songs has earned her the title - nightingale of Gujarati folk dance music.

Music the Gujarati language and culture is deeply rooted in her heart. She is one of the most popular and successful folk singers from Gujarat. Most of her 8000 songs are in Gujarati language. Her depth in music and love for it in her heart is truly depicted in her voice. With the mission to promote Gujarati folk music around the world she has performed in several countries including USA UK Oman and Hongkong.

Patil is a commerce graduate from the M S University of Vadodara and served as the superintendent at the Central Excise & Customs Department. In addition to her passion for singing Vatsala has played field hockey in her teen years and participated in various state national and international tournaments. She led let the state of Gujarat field hockey team seven times.

Vatsala has been a playback singer for more than 80 Gujarati films and has received the best playback singer’s award for her song in the film Vichhudo. She has extended her string of awards by recently achieving the best playback singer’s 7 award 2010 for her song in the Gujarati movie Vichhudo Nadie Nahva Gai Ti Badiyabapji Sajan ne Sathware. She has performed in a number of shows all telecasted by GTV ETV Doordarshan DD2. Some of her popular hit tracks are Mahisagar ni aare O raj Re Pattana etc.

Host or Publisher Gujarati Mandal of Central ohio