The annual Navratri Festival for 2023 is set to kick off today and will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel. 

Hosted at the Gujarat University ground, this nine-day festival, organised by the state’s Tourism Department, will conclude on Oct 23.

Navratri Festival 2023 to commence today

The opening ceremony, scheduled to commence at 8.30 p.m., will be attended by Gujarat chief minister Bhupendra Patel and will feature a Maha Aarti centred around the theme along with multimedia cultural programmes.

The festivities will include a state-level garba competition, set to begin today and run through the entire duration, starting each evening at 6 p.m., as announced by the authorities.

Those not partaking in the competition can play the traditional Sheri Garba, happening daily from 9 p.m. to midnight.

Health and personal safety a priority

In Vadodara, to enhance women’s safety, 22 units of the ‘She Team’ from Vadodara city police will disguise themselves as garba players on the ground.

In anticipation of medical emergencies, particularly cardiac issues, large organisers with more than 20,000 daily registered participants have taken proactive measures.

They have set up emergency exits, multiple makeshift hospitals at entry points, and panels of doctors at the venue to ensure timely medical attention can be provided when needed. Similar precautions have been taken in Ahmedabad and Rajkot.

(Source: IANS)

-Edited for style

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