DANDIYA DAYS ARE BACK AGAIN

Lucknowites seem to be making the most of the improved situation post lockdown, this festive season. After a hiatus of two years, dandiya nights have finally made a comeback with a bang.

Dressed in their ethnic best, revellers were seen letting their hair down as they attended dandiya bashes at various locations held in city clubs, lounges, housing societies and some Durga Puja pandals. A mega dandiya function was held at a city club which saw performance by reality TV singer Simran Srivastava, Gunjan Roy and troupe. “We got to see this day after two long years so everyone was very upbeat and turned up in good number to play dandiya with their families and friends. The huge lush green lawns gave all a place to spread out and enjoy the night. Since we are still in pandemic, we followed all protocols including hand sanitizers and thermal scanning whereas our staff is already vaccinated,” says club owner and educationist Sarvesh Goel. Many of them walked away with lucky prizes. A group of 65 females came together for a dandiya bash at a city mall. “The evening saw a group dance, garbha along with a lot of games. Dressed in festive attires, we all got a chance to dance together after a long time. We met many of them personally after nearly two years. Thankfully, all of us were vaccinated but thoda-bahut darna bhi zaroori hai,” says organisers Shikha Upadhyay and Jyotsna Dubey.

Another dandiya bash themed ‘Humari Betiyan, Humara Gaurav’ was held at a plush township. Many housing societies in Gomti Nagar extension too held small bashes on their apartment campuses.

“After two years we have some reason to celebrate so we at Rohani Apartments can have a small dandiya bash as many of us are now fully vaccinated and no outsiders were joining,” says Surabhi, a homemaker.

A mega dandiya bash was held at Indira Gandhi Pratisthan while another one at a plush café in Vibhuti Khand. Many Durga Puja pandals also saw people playing dandiya on dhol.

SOURCED A mega Dandiya event held at a club in Lucknow

SOURCED Dandiya event at a mall in Gomti Nagar

Dandiya events in the city saw people sporting their best traditional attires

Band performing during the event

Mayor Sanyukta Bhatia and minister Satish Chandra Dwivedi