Dandiya in the city

Groove to the sounds of popular acts like Falguni Pathak, Preeti and Pinky and even Himesh Reshammiya

Revellers must be glad that dandiya queen, Falguni Phathak, is back for Navratri this year. The folk and fusion singer will be performing in Mumbai after a gap of one year. She had chosen to celebrate the festive season in Gujrarat last year, much to the disappointment of her avid followers.

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Picking up where she left off, Falguni will perform at Goregaon Sports Club for Sankalp. Says organiser Devendra Joshi, “Falguni back in Mumbai is not only big news for Sankalp, but also for the city. I have been flooded with messages from people congratulating me. We signed her quite late, on September 12 to be exact. We’ve not even had any promotions so far.”

Preeti and Pinky, who are just as famous, will also perform after a gap of two years. Last time around, they too had travelled to Gujarat to entertain crowds there. Says Preeti, “Our performance at the Ghatkopar Police Ground will be high on energy as we are the masters of folk and rhythm.” The Kora Kendra dandiya in Borivli is another popular spot. Says organiser Tejan Botadra, “The performance this year will be very traditional. We will play only Gujarati songs because we feel people don’t come to listen to music, but to dance.”

Indian Idol winner Bhumi Trivedi will perform for all nine days at Ekta Ground in Borivli, and with no entry fee. Says host Jignesh Bhuta, “This year we will be playing different songs. Thanks to certain sponsors, we are able to give people an opportunity to enjoy free dances.” Since most of the well-known dandiya performances are held in the suburbs. Prerna Raas in Mulund is another place that deserves a mention. Says Manoj Kotak, “Our dandiya is frequented mostly by members of our organisation. But this year, we are also expecting participation from non-members.” On average, about 6,000 people participate in the celebrations here daily.

Dandiya venues to look out for this year in the city

Where: Sankalp at Goregaon Sports Club (W)
Tickets: Rs 3,000 for season pass, Rs 300 on weekdays and Rs 600 on the weekend.
Call: 26161212/3838, 8291700226/7/8/9
Highlights: Falguni Pathak live, pyrotechnics

Where: Ghatkopar Police Grounds (west)
Tickets: Rs 800 for season pass, Rs 100 and Rs 200 daily
Call: 9892936262
Highlights: Preeti and Pinky live, new team of musicians, Sufi Bollywood songs, surprise packages for participants

Where: Kora Kendra, Borivli (W)
Tickets: Rs 2,520 season pass, Rs 360 on weekdays and Rs 450 on the weekend
Call: 9769385111
Highlights: Traditional performances, only Gujarati songs, singers from Surat

Where: Ekta Ground, Borivli (W)
Tickets: Free entry
Highlights: Performance by Bhumi Trivedi of Indian Idol fame, one celebrity daily, one of the biggest bands in Mumbai

Where: Prerna Raas, Mulund
Ticket: Prices to be decided on dandiya day
Highlights: Performances by singers Arpita Thakkar, Hanif Aslam and Kirtidan Gadhvi

Where: Navrang Raas Garba, Kandivali (W)
Ticket: Season pass is Rs 2,000, Rs 200 on weekdays and Rs 350 on the weekend
Call: 9833203319
Highlights: Performances by Himesh Reshammiya, Vaishali Samant, Raja Hasan and Swaroop Khan. Proceeds from ticket sale will go to charities for blind and cancer patients.