Godhra in throes of turnaround

India's Godhra city in western Gujarat is vying to shed its image of being communally sensitive, as the Muslim stick makers in the city gears up for the unique "Dandiya" or stick dance. With the popular festival Hindu festival of "Navratri" round the corner, Muslims stick makers in the city have got down to manufacturing at war footing.

"We start working three months before 'Navratri' and send stocks as we receive orders. This earns us our bread and butter and keeps us in business," said Shohaib, a Dandiya artisan.

Godhra's Dandiya sticks find takers from all over Gujarat, because of their unique designs and reasonable prices.

"We come here every year and only here, as we get beautiful colourful dandiya sticks at reasonable price," said Bharat Kumar, a customer.

"Navratri", which literally means nine lights, is observed twice a year. It lasts for nine days in honour of nine manifestations of Hindu goddess Durga and fall in the months of April-May and September-October.

During the nine-day festival, young boys and girls wear colourful long skirts and hit each other's sticks to the tune of folk or film music across the streets.

Prayers, processions and musical programmes mark the festival, which symbolises the triumph of good over evil.

Both Hindu god Rama and goddess Durga are worshipped during the festival in different forms.

Godhra witnessed the worst ever killings of 59 Hindu pilgrims by a suspected Muslim mob in 2001 after which widespread religious riots took more than 1,000 lives.

The nine-day festival of "Navratri" begins this year on September 23.

Bureau Report