Few things can stop a Gujarati from doing Garba, but rain is not one of them. Over the past few days, multiple districts in Gujarat have experienced flooding as a result of the downpour, with cyclone Asna piling on the state’s problems. However, for locals in Vadodara, it was an occasion to dance.
The central Gujarat city, located along the banks of Vishwamitri river, was flooded after the recent rains. Daily life remained disrupted in several of the city as of Friday. While many frustrated residents expressed anger at the situation, a group of Garba-loving Golwadis turned this “Aapada into Avasara”.
Footage from the scenes in uptown Vadodara shows young men and women dancing knee-deep in floodwater to a folk song playing on a loudspeaker, seemingly unfazed by the chaos.
Our Vadodara, an X page documenting city affairs, posted the video, saying “In Gujarat, no celebration is complete without Garba, even if knee-deep water fills the society.”
Kiran Vaniya, a local, welcomed the light-hearted response to the rains in the state.
“This is Vadodara, Gujarat. In any situation we know how to be happy. Spirit of Gujaratis and love for Garba,” the 34-year-old said.
The joy and celebration was initially mistaken for a satirical protest.
Bhavesh Thakkar, a second-generation entrepreneur from Vadodara, said it was anything but.
"We wanted to show that despite the difficulties, we can stay happy and resilient. Our dance is a celebration of our culture and not a statement against the situation,” he said.
After an initial surge in water levels that raised an alarm, Vishwamitri has receded, much to the relief of evacuated locals. Parts of Vadodara are now slowly returning to normalcy, even as effects from the floods linger.
Aside from damage to property and infrastructure, the city also reported multiple crocodile sightings, which is recurring phenomenon associated with monsoon.