NATURAL WITH ENGLISH, HINDI SPEECH
DURATION: 3.09
SOURCE: ANI
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Festival spirit overcomes swine flu scare in india.
Despite the H1N1 flu scare, it's party as usual for scores of enthusiasts who come out in open every night during the ongoing Hindu festival of Navratri to perform the traditional 'Garba' dance in India's western Ahmedabad city.
SHOWS:
AHMEDABAD, GUJARAT, INDIA (SEPTEMBER 21, 2009) (ANI-ACCESS ALL)
1. EXTERIOR OF THE RAJPATH CLUB IN AHMEDABAD
2. PEOPLE TAKING LEAFLETS ON SWINFLUE
3. CLOSEUP OF A LEAFLET ON SWINE FLU AWARENESS
4. MORE OF PEOPLE AT THE SWINE FLU STALL
5. PEOPLE ENTERING A SECURITY GATE
6. VARIOUS OF GARBA DANCE IN PROGRESS
7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MEENU, GARBA DANCER, SAYING: "Gujarat people are enjoying all over here. They are not affected by swine flu and all that. Navratri is like Navratri, even better than previous years. We are enjoying a lot."
8. VARIOUS OF GARBA DANCE
9. A FOREIGNER COUPLE DANCING
10. (SOUNDBITE) (English) SAMANTHA, TOURIST, SAYING: "This is my first Navratri. We have been in India since April. This is the first half of festival we have been to. We all enjoyed the dancing. It's been great fun."
11. A MAN WORKING ON THE COMPUTER IN SECURITY CONTROLL ROOM
12. CLOSEUP OF A MACHINE
13. PEOPLE ARE BEING MONITORED ON CCTV CAMERAS
14. (SOUNDBITE) (English/Hindi) MANISH, GARBA DANCER, SAYING: "It's better this year as compared with previous year. Security is tight. Police is at every point. Security is better this year compared to previous year."
15. VARIOUS OF GARBA DANCE
STORY: Swine flu scare is not deterring enthusiasts from celebrating the ongoing nine-day Hindu festival of Navratri at Ahmedabad in India's western state of Gujarat.
Garba dance, performed by boys and girls together, is one of the main features of the Gujarati way of celebrating the festival. It's unique to the state.
Boys and girls bedecked in bright traditional costumes and jewelleries perform the dance to the vibrant tunes of Gujarati songs, mostly in the open.
The infectious upbeat festival mood has overtaken the swine flu scare as thousands of men and women are joining each other every night in tapping their feet to the popular music.
"Gujarat people are enjoying all over here. They are not affected by swine flu and all that. Navratri is like Navratri, even better than previous years. We are enjoying a lot," said Meenu, who had come to the Rajpath Club to take part in Garba dance.
Foreigners too are taking a taste of traditional Gujarati dance by swaying in rhythms.
Samantha from South Africa has been in India since April this year. And this was for the first she has witnessed anything like this but she says she thoroughly enjoyed the garba dance.
"This is my first Navratri. We have been in India since April. This is the first half of festival we have been to. We all enjoyed the dancing. It's been great fun," says Samantha, who joined others in dancing garba organised at the Rajpath Club.
To ensure revellers enjoy their garba night outs seamlessly, club authority has arranged tight security in and around the dance venue.
Security personnel have been deployed at check points and people's activities are being monitored on CCTV cameras.
People are happy with the security arrangements.
"It (security) is better this year as compared with previous year. Security is tight. Police is at every point. Security is better this year compared to previous year," said Manish, a garba dancer.
Last year the festival was a low-key affair in the state following recession and 26/11 terror attacks. However, this year the general mood is perked up in spite of H1N1 virus.
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