The preparation for Navratri usually starts months before the festival with the excitement of matching up the outfits as per the colours decided along with the accessories. Due to covid this year the grounds were shut and live streaming was done of the whole event. However, being one of the most lively festivals we could not hold back ourselves so we decided to organize a small event where we booked a hall in Charkop. Charkop area has these duplex bungalows where the upper floors at some places are generally used as party halls. We were around 30 people who had gathered to play Garba keeping in mind all the basic rules and regulations where each person was sanitized before he/she entered the main premise, also the body temperature was checked. People had worn masks and the perfect outfits as we all desire to wear during Navratri. The event continued for almost 3-4 hours where we weren’t a crowd or chaotic and people played in smaller groups.

Podium Parties have become a regular event. Ranging from birthdays, kitty parties, weddings, society gatherings, festival celebrations etc. October 2020 onwards.

Both of the images was clicked on the same festival but before and after Covid

MARRIAGES DURING COVID

In December, it's my brother's wedding. Because of covid, there is a limit to the number of members that can be invited.


My family added a few more functions, which we usually don’t keep just so that everyone could be invited. All the members have been divided throughout all the functions so that everyone is called and invited.


Earlier there were two functions which were planned, but there was pressure from a lot of family members that how can we not call people, as we have attended everyone's marriage.

Navratri was celebrated across NESCO(which is a venue for Navratri events every year) and other COVID Centres by Health care workers playing Garba and dandiya in PPE Kits so that the patients are entertained inside and do not experience FOMO during this nine-day festival. Ganesh Utsav 2020 was a lowkey affair in the city of Mumbai for the first time in history. Many people resorted to making clay idols at home and immersing them inside the house itself. Getting large idols in societies and social gatherings was prohibited.

On the auspicious occasion of Akshay Tritiya, embracing the new world norms, Nikhil Caterers has started delivering Food Hampers across Mumbai.

Today we delivered Wedding food hampers to 200 guests over 70 locations for the virtual wedding celebration of Kasbekar Family . I would like to thank Mr. Ramesh Kasbekar for trusting us and giving us this opportunity for this unique experience !


THE NEW PARTY

So during this pandemic, we were all forbidden to go out to public places or hang out with our friends. There was now no contrast between weekday and weekend plans.


But my father came up with the idea of bringing out a club-like, party hub kind of space in our long and spacious balcony. We did set up led lights and speakers in the balcony, the aura became superior after we set up bean bags and a serving table in this space.


Now almost every alternate weekend friends or relatives come over for small parties or gatherings. This substituted our weekend social outings during the covid times. This concludes that even amidst the pandemic, one is persistent to find their desired ways to recreate by negotiating spaces.