The festive period starts today with the onset of Navratri and Nitanshi Goel is super excited to begin the celebrations. “Navratri has come, then there will be Dussehra and then Diwali, so the celebration mode has started and it will continue now for about a month. My favourite time of the year has started,” she says,
Talking about what these nine days of celebration mean to her, Nitanshi Goel says, “Navratri is about celebrating the strength of femininity and new beginnings. These nine days have always been about positivity, togetherness and celebrating with my family. Going to pandals to seek blessings from Durga Maa and especially the Garba nights are my favourite.”
The 18-year-old admits that she takes the charge to ensure that everyone is up to the mark in terms of clothes and choreography. “I am that excited person, who colour codes all the outfits as per the day, and even rehearses steps for Garba to be perfect. I am the one who choreographs the dance for our group and make sure that everyone is colour coded and as excited for the celebration as I am. I even have a Navratri playlist with all garba songs. The fashionista and dancer in me comes alive during that time,” she laughs.
The enthusiastic girl in her takes the forefront during Navratri. “I try to create special memories because I get very excited for these nine days. Every girl would relate to me on how challenging it becomes to curate a look with complimenting juttis and accessories to your outfit. You want to wear oxidised jewellery and braid your hair for easy dancing. So, I start getting ready an hour before I have to leave to get the look right,” she shares.
Having grown up in Noida and now working in Mumbai, Nitanshi accepts that the Navratri celebrations are quite different in both the cities. “In Noida, I would visit the pandals more and it would be more about devotion and prayers. But when I came to Mumbai, I remember my first Navratri. Everyone in my society would come down and they would all be dancing and celebrating together. And suddenly, I became a part of something that was bigger than all of us. We would dance to the same tunes and feel the same emotions. Due to that experience, I became more excited for the festival,” she says, adding that her family of fans have made the celebrations all the more memorable. “It’s more beautiful now because when I step out to celebrate anywhere, I have an extended family of my fans, whom I love a lot. The excitement of the celebration has truly kicked in now,” she ends.
