
BY DEVIKA C.MEHTA
NORWALK, CA - The recently formed Gujarati Society of Southern California on Oct 14-15 organized its first ever two-day celebration event, a pre-Diwali and Dandiya night at the Sanatan Dharma Temple here..On both evenings on the weekend, several Gujaratis came together to enjoy Gujarati folk performances by well-known Swar
NORWALK, CA - The recently formed Gujarati Society of Southern California on Oct 14-15 organized its first ever two-day celebration event, a pre-Diwali and Dandiya night at the Sanatan Dharma Temple here..On both evenings on the weekend, several Gujaratis came together to enjoy Gujarati folk performances by well-known Swar
Kinnari Group from Mumbai, India. The noted members of the group - Bhanubhai Vohra, Tripti Chhaya, Dharmendra Gohil, Sangita Vora all singers together with musicians Prakash Parmar, Pramod More, Manisha Maniar and Bindesh Pande created an invigorating atmosphere and enthralled the audience with their vibrant performances.
The 500 strong audience on Oct 14 was entertained with several peppy renditions by Bhanu Vora and group including old and new Hindi/Gujarati songs, hilarious jokes and entertaining talks. Speaking to IJ, the group’s star performer Bhanu Vora said, “What we presented today was a typical Gujarati Dayro- a form of traditional folk narrative songs. The crowd here was amazing and their participation and cheers motivated us to give our best.”
During the show, he also presented his CD . All in attendance enjoyed a delicious dinner sponsored by GSSC president BU Patel, to celebrate his birthday. In the absence of BU Patel, vice president Pramod Mistry spoke to IJ and said, “Our organization seeks to unite Gujaratis of all backgrounds and those interested in Gujarati culture and heritage with the objective of pooling our diverse set of skills and resources to deliver a better future for the communities around us and the generations to come. We have also taken up the initiative to involve young members from the community.” Supporting his initiative, society’s Youth Wing president Varun Gandhi, specified that the youth were striving to give back to the community by contributing their voice, and volunteering their service. He also informed about the first holiday mixer that is set to take place in January 2018. The festivities continued on Sunday with enthusiasts joining the Bhanu Vohra Group for Garba celebrations, starting in the evening and continuing till midnight. As the night advanced, the dancers seemed to go into a trance; lost somewhere in the moment as ‘Mor Bani Thangat Kare’, ‘Taara Naam Ni Chundadi Odhi’, ‘Chelaiya Nu Aakhyan Ane Halardu’, ‘Tame Mann Muki Ne Varsya’, ‘Morbini Vaaniyaan’, and ‘Avtaar Maanvi No Phari Nahi Made’ were played. With every passing moment, one could feel the energy of the dancers as the music reached its crescendo around midnight. The events on both the days were well attended and made the first ever celebration a huge success.
The 500 strong audience on Oct 14 was entertained with several peppy renditions by Bhanu Vora and group including old and new Hindi/Gujarati songs, hilarious jokes and entertaining talks. Speaking to IJ, the group’s star performer Bhanu Vora said, “What we presented today was a typical Gujarati Dayro- a form of traditional folk narrative songs. The crowd here was amazing and their participation and cheers motivated us to give our best.”
During the show, he also presented his CD . All in attendance enjoyed a delicious dinner sponsored by GSSC president BU Patel, to celebrate his birthday. In the absence of BU Patel, vice president Pramod Mistry spoke to IJ and said, “Our organization seeks to unite Gujaratis of all backgrounds and those interested in Gujarati culture and heritage with the objective of pooling our diverse set of skills and resources to deliver a better future for the communities around us and the generations to come. We have also taken up the initiative to involve young members from the community.” Supporting his initiative, society’s Youth Wing president Varun Gandhi, specified that the youth were striving to give back to the community by contributing their voice, and volunteering their service. He also informed about the first holiday mixer that is set to take place in January 2018. The festivities continued on Sunday with enthusiasts joining the Bhanu Vohra Group for Garba celebrations, starting in the evening and continuing till midnight. As the night advanced, the dancers seemed to go into a trance; lost somewhere in the moment as ‘Mor Bani Thangat Kare’, ‘Taara Naam Ni Chundadi Odhi’, ‘Chelaiya Nu Aakhyan Ane Halardu’, ‘Tame Mann Muki Ne Varsya’, ‘Morbini Vaaniyaan’, and ‘Avtaar Maanvi No Phari Nahi Made’ were played. With every passing moment, one could feel the energy of the dancers as the music reached its crescendo around midnight. The events on both the days were well attended and made the first ever celebration a huge success.