The Hindu celebration is from India, primarily in the state of Gujarat, where both of Patel’s parents were born. During Navratri, individuals worship and show their devotion to Hindu goddesses.
It is a celebration of his heritage, Patel said.

Originally from India, Kunwar Rajendra, an electrical engineering adjunct professor and chairman of the MSU India Council, said these are the nine most important days of the year.

Although each Indian region celebrates the festival a little differently, the underlying theme remains the same, Rajendra said.

“(It is) for worshipping goddesses and for getting the bad things out of your life and getting the good things in your life and (then) getting the wisdom to know the difference,” Rajendra said.
Rajendra said some of the activities of the festival include participating in prayer and dance, among other things.

International relations junior Raji Singh said she is Hindu and traveled to the University of Michigan-Dearborn to participate in a Garba dance to celebrate a night of Navratri.

“I love to dance, and it’s the one time of year I get to go out and see everybody from the community,” Singh said. “It’s tiring, but it’s fun.”

Rajendra said he celebrates the festival in the ways he was raised, in hopes the traditions will transcend upon and be practiced by individuals of future generations.

Patel said he went home to celebrate this past weekend and has been going out to dance each night.

“It’s (about) religion, but is more fun at the same time — hanging out with friends, just dancing (and) going out and having fun every night,” Patel said.

Graduate student Abhishek Jain, who is an international student from India, said he has celebrated the festival in India and in Michigan.

Jain said there are not many differences in the spirit and the traditions of the festival, but one is the size and number of people who participate.

“In Gujarat, it’s celebrated (on) a very huge scale, and it goes for every night, and it goes from 8 (p.m.) until 2 (a.m.),” said Jain, who observes Jainism, another religion of India. While in Michigan, the celebrations are a bit smaller — as there are obviously not as many Indian people here, Jain said.

Rajendra said the festival typically is at the beginning of winter at a time when people can feel change.

“It’s a time when people (can) feel the prosperity come into their lives … (and) they worship the goddesses, (who) were the givers of knowledge and prosperity and also had the power to get out the bad things in your life,” he said.