Bollywood movies, garba night in Australia: 57-year-old woman's passion for dance wins hearts amid Navratri
What started with a garba night in Australia, and the passion for dance rekindled by Bollywood movies, ended with the fulfilment of the woman's long-cherished dream of celebrating Navratri in India
Navratri 2025 celebrations are in full swing. And, amid all the festive cheer and spirit, a 57-year-old Australian woman, Cate, is winning hearts, with netizens praising her remarkable journey of how she fell in love with Garba.
What started with a garba night in Australia, and the passion for dance rekindled by Bollywood movies, ended with the fulfilment of the woman's long-cherished dream of celebrating Navratri in India.
Cate's story, which was shared by Humans of Bombay, traces her journey from Perth to Mumbai – all centered on her passion for dance.
How it all started
According to Humans of Bombay's post, Cate's story began at a community Garba night in Australia back in 2019. Nervous but curious, she and her friend Abi stood watching others dance until Cate told her friend: “We came here to dance, let’s do it!” The moment she stepped onto the floor, she says, she was hooked for life.
Dancing had always been a part of Cate’s world — from jazz and tap to ballet and contemporary, even professionally. But over time, marriage, kids, and work pushed it into the background. Bollywood films rekindled the spark in Cate,leading her to a dance studio in Perth, where she discovered Garba under the mentorship of Maitri, her instructor.
Her most unforgettable memory came during Falguni Pathak’s live show in Mumbai.As rain poured, thunder roared, and fireworks lit the sky, the crowd never stopped dancing. Locals approached her with gratitude for embracing their tradition, but for Cate, the gratitude was hers: “But the truth is, I was the grateful one. To be welcomed, to belong, even as an outsider from Perth, was the real gift.”
The inspiration to play Garba at 57
Cate shared it was the heartfelt gratitude that inspired her to bring the culture of Navratri in Australia. “At 57, I still play garba until midnight. It isn’t a mere dance to me anymore, it’s a reminder that joy has no boundaries, no age, no passport,” said the Australian woman.
Navratri 2025
This year, Sharad Navratri began on September 22 and will conclude on October 2, according to the Drik Panchang calendar. Navratri is usually observed for nine days and ends with Dussehra or Vijayadashami.