Creative twists to Hyderabad’s Garba pandals

Hyderabad: This Navratri, Garba events across Hyderabad have become more inventive, with organisers adding creative spins to the traditional festivities. From dancing in snowy settings and glowing neon outfits to Garba focused on rural traditions from Gujarat, the festive season is being transformed into a visual and cultural extravaganza.
One of these unique events took place at Snow Kingdom in Kondapur, where the winter wonderland was reimagined as a dandiya paradise."We wanted to use our space to elevate the festive spirit, so we organised a first-of-its-kind Dandiya event in Snow Kingdom. It's something people of all age groups can enjoy," said Snow Kingdom managing director Puvvadi Harika. Over 200 people took part in the celebration, which wasn't limited to Hyderabad — similar events were also held at Snow Kingdom locations in Indore and Chennai.
In Secunderabad, Classic Gardens raised the bar with a Neon Garba event. "Every year, we select a different theme, but this year we wanted something that hadn't been done before. Everyone came wearing neon accessories — some had neon jewellery, others neon outfits, and some simply neon bands. As people played Garba in the dark, the glowing lights captured the vibrant spirit of the city, which is always up for a creative challenge," said event organiser Saloni Jain.
The innovation didn't stop there. At Navkar Navratri Utsav, participants embraced the theme of ‘Fly Your Wings,' where attendees wore anything that resembled wings. Kavita Jain, who conceptualised the theme, shared its deeper meaning: "Wings symbolise freedom, elevation, and a divine connection. Navratri is about the triumph of good over evil, and for us, wings represent the ability to rise above challenges. It's a beautiful way to connect with the festival's essence of celebrating the divine femininity."
Despite the creativity, organisers have also ensured that the roots of the festival are not forgotten. Bhavik Shah from the Cyberabad Gujarati Association emphasised their focus on tradition. "Our Garba revolves around the ‘Garbi' or ‘Garbha Deep,' which symbolises life and divine femininity. We make sure to honour the Garbi, playing Garba around it and using only folk music to maintain authenticity."