Ahmedabad: Even as the ‘mood of the weather’ is being watched cautiously on the first day of Navratri across Gujarat today with cloudy morning at several places including Ahmedabad and light rain at some other, the ‘lingering’ of monsoon beyond the normal date of withdrawal of September 15 from this part of the country, which has given sort of ‘sleepless’ nights to Garba organizers, has become a regular phenomenon since 2011.

IMD center Ahmedabad Director Jayant Sarkar said that 2017 was the seventh consecutive year when Monsoon has lingered beyond the normal date of withdrawal.

‘It is happening continuously since 2011,’ he said.

Sarkar, however, expressed inability to attribute any solid reason for the phenomenon. ‘As of now we don’t know why it is happening. A detailed study and analysis of data is required to be done to understand the underlying reason,’ he said.

He said that the non-withdrawal of monsoon keeps alive the fear of rain during Navratri too.

Sarkar said that there was less likelihood of any further spell of heavy rain in Gujarat but light to moderate rain could not be ruled out.

He said that fortunately a system of Bay of Bengal which could have caused heavy rain in Gujarat was not moving west ward.

Still owing to a weakening system around South Gujarat some spells of rain in that part are likely for one of two more days.

Notably, rain had spoiled the Navratri last year and this time some organizers, especially in Surat, have braced themselves against the possibility of downpour making domes for it. Some have organized indoor Garba.
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In the last 24 hours 41 takulas of 8 districts (mostly of South Gujarat) had seen rains with maximum 2 inches in Mandavi of Surat. Wagahi in Dangs also saw around 2 inches or rain, Chikhli in Navsari, Nizer and Vayra in Tapi and Choryasi in Surat also saw 1.5 to 2 inches of rain.

This year Navratri is of usual nine days (Sep 21 to 29). (last year it was of 10 days owing to repeat of first tithi ie Pratipada). Thousands of Garba mandalis across the state including the main cities of Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Vadodara and Surat have finalized the preparations for the nine day event. At some places including Surat Air conditioned domes have been erected to counter the possibility or rain.

The main official event Vibrant Gujarat Navratri Mahotsav will be held in the GMDC ground in Ahemdabad. CM Vijay Rupani will inaugurate it. This event was also badly affected owing to rain last year.

DeshGujarat