PurplePitara

These are some snippets about my memories of Navratri as this is the season when nostalgia hits hard. The time of the year when there is slight nip in the temperature and the feel of festiveness everywhere, arrives the festival of Navratri. This festival holds a very special place in my heart. And not just mine but hearts of many hundreds and thousands who spent their childhood and youth in Gujarat. Basically it is observed to celebrate the victory of good over evil. Of Ram over Ravana. Of Maa Durga over Mahishasura. Festival of pooja and piety. But for those like me it is the longest dance festival in the world. Enthusiasm, pomp and fervour at peak. I don’t remember when exactly the “Garba-Keeda” bit me but I vividly remember that I was around 5-6 years old, and those were the days of “Sheri Garba” (Street Garba). Garbas used to start around 11.00 pm and continue till wee hours of morning. I used to sleep early and ask mummy to wake me up at garba time and used to go p

This is a real life incident. Mr.R.I.Patel described in the story is my nanaji. He being associated with forests and wildlife gave me some great stories and wildlife facts which made me a wildlife enthusiast and this story in particular was and always will remain close to my heart.   I t had been quiet sometime since Mr.R.I.Patel, the then Conservator of Forest, heard about a certain man-eater of Melghat creating havoc in Bhutida village of Amravati district. Over a span of two years it had killed scores of innocent villagers- including small children. Nobody could say when the brute would come and from where it would come. It had become difficult for the villagers to venture out not only after dark but even in broad daylight for such was the fear of the man-eater. The villagers could not go to their fields or for the basic necessities and were now very desperately waiting for some action to be taken against the tiger. Also the Government had declared it to be a prize trophy and