Our Bureau
New Delhi
A delegation of Influencers and content creators from the USA and Western Europe visited and immersed themselves in the Gujarati culture on the auspicious occasion of Navratri here in Delhi on Saturday.
They embraced the local culture, practising Garba and savouring traditional Gujarati thali during their stay at the State-run guest house called ‘Garvi Gujarat Bhavan’ here in the national capital.
Tim Durkin, a Seattle-based photographer said that he has been to India before, and there is nothing “quite like it back home.”
On his experience, Durkin said, “We don’t really have anything quite like this back at home. Wherever visiting dignitaries can stay, we have lots of nice hotels. But this is a special place…There’s style, there’s history. It feels very welcoming.”
“I love all India food. I’m a big fan of spices, so the more spice, the better. Some people say, don’t eat too many spices. When in Delhi, I eat all the spices as much as I can, everywhere I go. And it’s incredible. I love it. The hotter the better. Bring it on, India, bring it on,” he said with enthusiasm.
Meanwhile, Kyle Paul, an actor and social media person from the US said that one of the good things about India is that there is diversity and unity everywhere.
“Hi, I’m Kyle Paul. I am an actor and social media person. It’s nice to meet you….But I’m semi-based in Mumbai right now. This trip, we visited Kerala, Hyderabad, and New Delhi…Kerala had those great rivers, the backwaters, those were great. Hyderabad is great, it’s so shiny and so new. Technology is everywhere. New Delhi is just, it feels sturdy, it feels like a monument everywhere you go. Everything feels like it was made to last…And that’s one of the good things about India. Like, it’s diverse unity and diversity,” he said.
Another influencer, Carlos Santangracia from Spain said that it was his first time in India and described his visit to the country as an ‘amazing’ one.
“I’m Carlos Santangracia from Spain. I am a YouTuber and this is my first time in India…For me, it’s super different, and the meal is in my country, a little bit spicy…From my experience, it’s very good for all, it is amazing, ” he said.
Navratri, which means ‘nine nights’ in Sanskrit, is dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga and her nine avatars, known as Navdurga. The festival is celebrated with great devotion across India, with rituals and prayers honouring the goddess in her various forms.
Hindus observe four Navratris throughout the year, but only two–Chaitra Navratri and Shardiya Navratri–are widely celebrated, as they coincide with the changing of the seasons. In India, Navratri is celebrated in various ways.
In North India, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh, the Ramlila, a dramatic re-enactment of scenes from the Ramayana, is organised. The festival concludes with Vijayadashami, marked by the burning of King Ravana’s effigies.
‘Vijyayadashmi’ or ‘Dussehra’, is celebrated to mark the triumph of good over evil.
