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Here are the Florida communities celebrating Navratri
TAMPA BAY/PINELLAS PARK
Gujarati Samaj of Tampa Bay will celebrate Garba Dandiya Night from 8 p.m. on Sept. 19-20 and Sept. 26-27 at Florida State Fairgrounds, 4800 U.S. 301 N., Tampa. On Sept. 19, Gujarati hip-hop band Aghori Muzik will perform. Taking the stage, the next day will be Gujarati folk singer and performer Arvind Vegda. Singer-couple Samir and Dipalee will return to the Bay area for Raas Rangat Sept. 26-27. The garba nights are free for GSTB members and $30 for non-members. All four-night garba tickets are $60 if purchased before Sept. 10. For information, call GSTB President Bhavik Modi at (813) 557-4555.
Sanatan Mandir at 311 E. Palm Ave., Tampa, will hold daily Navratri garba from 8.30 to 10.30 p.m. Sept. 22 to Oct. 2. For details, call the temple at (813) 221-4482, email [email protected] or visit www.sanatanmandirtampa.org
Ambaji Mandir at 10991 58th St., in Pinellas Park, is celebrating Navratri with daily garba from Sept. 22-Oct. 2 after 7 p.m. aarti. Navratri Ashtami is from p.m. on Sept. 30 and Dussehra from 6 to 7 p.m. Oct. 2. For more information, call the mandir at (727) 388-6685 or visit www.ambajimandir.org
Sri Laxmi Narayan Mandir is celebrating Navratri with daily garba from Sept. 22-Oct. 2 after 7 p.m. aarti. Navratri Ashtami is from p.m. on Sept. 30 and Dussehra from 6 to 7 p.m. Oct. 2. Sri Laxmi Narayan Mandir is at 4615 George Road, Tampa. For information, call the temple at (813) 444-9786.
Shree Raam Mandir,7411 E. Comanche Ave., in Tampa, will celebrate nine nights from Sept, 22-30. Kanya Kumari pooja will be on Sept. 28. For information, call Nick at (813) 334-0443.
SOIKOT (Bengali Association of Greater Tampa Bay) will hold Durga Puja celebrations Oct. 3-5 at India Cultural Center, 5511 Lynn Road, Tampa. Singer, musician and composer Madhubanti Bagchi, who has lent her voice to several hit Bollywood and Bengali melodies, will perform on Oct. 5. For details, e-mail [email protected] or visit www.soikot.org
Jhumroo Events will present Navratri 2025 from 7 p.m. at Dr. Kiran C. Patel High School, 10721 Raulerson Ranch Road, Tampa. Tickets are $10 (kids under age 10 free). For information, call Shuchi at (407) 454-1381.
SOUTH FLORIDA
CORAL SPRINGS: The Indian Regional & Cultural Center (IRCC) will celebrate Navratri from 8 p.m. Sept. 20 and Sept. 27 at Coral Springs High School, 7201 W. Sample Road, Coral Springs. For more information, call (954) 543-1539 or visit www.irccflorida.org to purchase tickets.
ROYAL PALM BEACH: Palm Beach India Association will present Garba from 7 p.m. on Sept. 19-20 and Sept. 26-27 at Royal Palm Beach High School, 10600 Okeechobee Blvd., Royal Palm Beach. The event is free for PBIA members. For information, email [email protected] or visit www.gopbia.org
MIAMI: Indian Cultural Club of South Florida (ICCOSF) will hold Garba & Dandiya from 7 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Sept. 20 at Elks Lodge, 6304 S.W. 78th St., South Miami. For more information, visit https://www.iccosf.org/
ORLANDO/KISSIMMEE/CASSELBERRY
The Gujarati Society of Central Florida will hold Navratri Garba from 8 p.m. Sept. 20 and Sept. 26-27 at Olympia High School, 4301 S. Apopka Vineland Road, Orlando. The event is free for society members and $35 non-members. For information, call Paresh at (407) 600-0971 or visit www.gujaratisocietycfl.com The society will hold a Kids Navratri from 5 to 7 p.m. Sept. 20 at Olympia High. It will be free for members and $35 non-members. For information on kids’ garba, call Bijal Shodhan at (818) 572-5742.
Hindu Society of Central Florida (HSCF) temple will celebrate Navratri Utsav with music, raas and garba from 8 p.m. Sept. 21-30 in the community hall, 1994 Lake Drive, Casselberry. DJ Khush will provide entertainment. Kids garba/Sharad Purnima Garba will be Oct. 3 from 6:30 to 8:30 followed by adult garba. For more information, call Mahendra Kapadia at (407) 595-9224 or visit www.orlandohindutemple.org
Lake Nona Indians will hold Garba Night from 7 p.m. on Sept. 26 at Innovation High School, 12401 Dowden Road, Orlando. Tickets are $15 adults, $10 seniors/kids 11-17 years of age. For more information, visit www.lakenonaindians.org
BARTOW/LAKELAND/WINTER HAVEN
The Bhartiya Samaj of Central Florida will celebrate Navratri at 8 p.m. Sept. 12-13, Sept. 19-20 and Sept. 26-27 at Bartow Civic Center, 2250 S. Floral Ave., Bartow. For more information, call Subhash S. Patel at (863) 838-0969 or visit www.bscfl.com
Shree Swaminarayan Hindu Temple, 2793 New Tampa Highway, Lakeland, will hold Navratri garba from 8 p.m. on Sept. 27 and Oct. 4. Sharad Purnima garba will be from 8 p.m. Oct. 11. For information, call (863) 687-ISSO or visit www.issolakeland.org
OCALA/BELLEVIEW
India Association Cultural & Educational Center will celebrate Navratri for members only from 7 p.m. on Sept. 26-27, Sept. 30, Oct. 3-4 at 2030 N.E. 36th Ave., Ocala. For information, call (352) 274-0496.
FORT MYERS/NAPLES
India Association of Naples will hold a Dandiya Night from 7 to 11 p.m. Sept. 27. It is free for members, $10 for non-members. For venue and other details, email [email protected]
JACKSONVILLE
The Gujarati Samaj of North East Florida will celebrate Navratri Garba Nites 2025 with a live band from Gujarat from 7.30 p.m. on Sept. 26-27 and Oct. 10-11 at Atlantic Coast High School, 9735 R.G. Skinner Parkway. For all four days, the combo ticket is $60 members and $20 daily. Purchase tickets at tinyurl.com/JaxGarba or visit gsnef.org for more information.
MELBOURNE/VIERA (SPACE COAST)
Manav Mandir temple, 7400 Waelti Drive, Melbourne, will begin Navratri, Garba on Sept. 22. Dussehra will be celebrated on Oct. 2. For information, call (321) 426-0668 or visit www.mmbrevard.org
KHAAS BAAT LAUNCHES ANNUAL SPONSOR DRIVE
By NITISH S. RELE and SHEPHALI J. RELE
After completing our 21-year anniversary last month, we launched an annual sponsor drive to secure funds to cover production costs. Since its inception, Khaas Baat has been mailed free to subscribers around the state with only a handful of paid subscribers in the past few years. We are proud that during the pandemic we continued publishing regularly. In fact, we haven’t skipped an issue since we began printing in August 2004. Also, the entire print version of the newspaper can be found online. Since ad revenues alone do not cover our monthly production costs (printing, design, mailing), we are in need of corporate or private sponsors. Your backing will allow us to continue to publish Khaas Baat as a high-quality newspaper proudly serving our community.
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