1,700 people danced away to the rhythm of traditional and fast paced Navratri songs by Foram Shah and Group. The special Dandiya Night, open to all New York and New Jersey residents through tickets, was organized by Brahmin Society of NY on October 10, 2026, at the Mitchell Athletic Complex in Uniondale, NY. This was the fifth annual Dandiya night organized by the BSNY, President Kalpita Parekh told Desi Talk.
The evening of dance began with the Navratri Committee lighting the lamps on a Deepam tower in front of a decorated image of the mother goddess.
The highlight of the evening’s Navratri celebration was chief guest Manav Gohil’s, a film and television actor known for his strong performances and his good looks. Greeting the gathering in Gujarati, Gohil said although he lives in Mumbai, he is a Gujarati, and “…the Gujarati Navratri festival lives in my heart too.” Gohil later went into the midst of the audiences and danced with them.
The younger group enjoyed the beats of the drum and the songs by Foram Shah who caught on to their moods, and sang non-stop. Participants were of all ages, said Parekh. “The youngest participant was 2-year old and the oldest was in mid-80s,” she said. The play area for the young children was kept separate so that they could be safe from the vigorous movements of the crowd. Similarly, the seniors also kept their own pace at a separate corner. “They were very happy and played well,” Parekh said. She said one of their regular participants who is in her 80s had the opportunity to play with Gohil.
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Much in the style of Navratri dandiya nights in India, the Dandiya night was also an evening of food and shopping, with 30 stalls in special tents erected outside the auditorium.
Food stalls were the main attraction of the evening out. There were stalls, dedicated to special food items, including Gujarati Khichu, mango mattha, dabeli, Baraf Gola, varieties of paan, Punjabi Paneer Pakoda, Mixed Vegetable Pakoda, Chhole Puri and more.
Mumbai stall offered Mumbai street fast food including different varieties of sandwiches, Pau Bhaji, Vada Pav, Bhel and more which finished very soon, Trivedi said.
Other stalls included Avanti Jewelers with fashion jewelry, Krishna collections with traditional wall hangings, dresses for images, Diwali decorations, and Rajasthani scarves. Grow to Infinity by Ankur Bharucha, a financial advisor and insurance agent, attracted many. As did One Stop urgent care, D. P. Agnihotri Immigration Service, and Radio Zindagi. Other stalls offered perfumes, and Indian traditional footwear – Mojadi.
Ideal Match Maker matrimonial services and Date Me dating services, and Desi Jodi matrimonial service were of special attraction to the young. Parekh said, “It was interesting to see that the visitors were well established professionals in their early 30s, looking for serious relationships.” She said singer Foram Shah, looking at the crowds at matrimonial stalls, performed a “Sanedo” song about a young guy looking to find a young girl, evoking tremendous response from the young dandiya players.
“This was our fifth Navratri celebration in a row, and every year we keep attracting more and more people,” Parekh said. “We are hopeful of getting a bigger crowd next year and looking for a bigger venue. Plans are also in the pipeline for increasing the event to a two-day event,” she said.