Shraddha Shah Raj
Garba Calls All: Shraddha Shah Joins Delhi’s Epic Dance Lineup
New Delhi: Forget standing on the sidelines—Navratri in Delhi isn’t a spectator sport. It’s a call to leap into the circle, where garba’s hypnotic swirls and dandiya’s stick-cracking fury turn strangers into a sweaty, grinning tribe under the capital’s starry sky.
Since the 1890s, when Gujarati migrants first spun their devotional dances in Civil Lines’ dusty courtyards, Delhi’s been hooked on this autumn ritual. The Shree Delhi Gujarati Samaj, born in 1897 as a refuge for homesick settlers, lit the spark—families twirling around flickering lamps, chaniya cholis flaring like kites, singing praises to Durga and Krishna.
Over decades, those circles grew, spilling into Pitampura’s lanes and Dwarka’s sprawl, morphing from sacred rites into a citywide fever. Bollywood’s disco dandiya crashed the party in the ‘90s, and now Instagram reels fan the flames, pulling in everyone—college kids, office-goers, even that uncle who claims he “doesn’t dance” but ends up stealing the show.
This year, from 26 to 28, the Delhi Garba Mahotsav 2025 at Abhinav Global School’s sprawling grounds in Dwarka is where you’ll feel that pulse.
At the heart of the Delhi Garba Mahotsav 2025 is Shraddha Shah Raj, a Surat-born firebrand who’s been dancing since she could walk, nailing her Bharatanatyam Arangetram at eight and earning Nritya Visharad degrees while still a kid.
Shraddha stormed Zee TV’s ‘Dance India Dance Supermoms’ in 2015, snagging second runner-up with moves that left Remo D’Souza floored, all while raising a family and running her Tapperz Dance Skool since 2003. Her school’s a powerhouse, churning out national award-winning kids and specially-abled dancers who’ve lit up Colors Channel. “Garba and dandiya are my heartbeat,” she laughs, her voice buzzing with the same energy you’ll feel when she hits Dwarka. “It’s not just steps—it’s joy you can’t fake.”
On the 26th, from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., Shraddha Shah Raj’s workshop is your ticket in—no dance degree required. She’s crafted a mix of authentic Gujarati steps that flow easily, so even if your only rhythm is dodging potholes, you’ll be twirling like a pro by sundown. The 27th is the grand kickoff, with Shah’s performance setting the field ablaze—imagine her leading a sea of dancers, sticks clashing like lightning, ghungroos jingling over the dhol’s roar. By the 28th, from 5 p.m. till the night runs out of steam, it’s pure chaos—live music colliding with DJ beats, crowds chasing prizes for the slickest solo spins, tightest couple syncs, or wildest group grooves. Shah, who’s choreographed Gujarati films and pushed dance therapy to heal minds and bodies, isn’t just performing—she’s pulling you into her world, where every step feels like slaying a demon or stealing a moment with the divine.
With the Tourism Department of the Delhi Government as its tourism partner, the Delhi Garba Mahotsav 2025 is not just an event—it’s Delhi unfiltered, a riot of colours, smells of street-side jalebis, and the kind of energy that makes you forget the metro’s crush. Organized by Nitya Anubhuti Media & Entertainment, this Mahotsav slots right into Delhi’s packed Navratri calendar, echoing the electric vibes of past years’ standouts like the Rotaract Club’s Jalsa 8.0 Dandiya Night in 2024, which packed venues with families and flash mobs under thumping dhol beats, or Garba Dazzle at Dilli Haat Pitampura, where 2024’s two-day bash blended craft stalls with non-stop twirls, drawing over 10,000 dancers into a colorful haze of tradition and fusion. And who could forget Rock N Dhol Shubharambh’s 2023 disco dandiya takeover, turning Pacific Mall into a stick-wielding frenzy that spilt into the streets, with Bollywood remixes keeping the party alive till dawn?
These nights have long been the city’s heartbeat, a mosaic of devotion and delirium that the Shree Delhi Gujarati Samaj’s old-school gatherings quietly seeded.
Looking ahead to this Navratri’s full lineup, Delhi’s got even more ways to surrender to the rhythm. Rock N Dhol Shubharambh returns bigger on September 26 at multiple spots like Pacific Malls in Pitampura and Tagore Garden, promising the capital’s largest disco dandiya bash with live DJs and prizes for epic group battles—tickets from ₹999. Over at Sunder Nursery from September 26 to 28, a Bollywood-garba crossover event unfolds amid heritage gardens, with free entry luring crowds to fusion sets under fairy lights, perfect for that poetic mix of history and hype. Then there’s Garba-E-Fusion: Dandiya X Dhol 2025 by BlissBell Events, hitting Urban Akhara in Gurugram from September 27, where dhol-driven workshops morph into all-night raves, blending raw folk with electronic edges for under ₹500. And don’t sleep on Trishakti Dandiya & Garba Night at Community Centre in New Rajinder Nagar, starting September 28, a community-driven affair with authentic Gujarati thalis and stick clashes that feel like a neighbourhood takeover—affordable at ₹300-500 per night. This isn’t a show to watch—it’s a rhythm to live, a chance to spin until your lungs burn and the city’s chaos fades into the beat.
So grab your sticks, tie on that bandhani, and let Shah’s fire—or any of these sparks—drag you into Delhi’s wildest nights. Garba doesn’t wait—you either dance or miss the magic.
– global bihari bureau
