AIDS patients dance to ‘Garba’ tunes in Ahmedabad

AHMEDABAD - A self-help group here has organised ‘Garba’ dance for AIDS patients.

Aadhar is a city-based self-help that supports HIV positive people.

Officials said they aimed to stop social discrimination of AIDS patients.

“‘Navratri’ festival is celebrated by everyone in the society. HIV+ve are also part of the same society. Around 200 people from our community and others participated in Garba event. Through this event, we are trying to spread the message that, we are as good as other people in the society. Further, people should encourage us by accepting and supporting such events,” said Varsha Vala, president, Aadhar Charitable Trust.

People including men, women, children affected with HIV/AIDS had a gala time performing Garba.

“I am enjoying this festival a lot. Here we are gathered as a family. We don’t want to be neglected and discriminated in the society. We are same as others, the only difference is that our blood is positive and their’s is negative,” said Prakash, an HIV-affected person.arba is an immensely popular traditional dance form in Gujarat.

“Navratri”, which literally means nine lights, is observed twice a year.

It lasts for nine days in honour of nine manifestations of Goddess Durga and fall in the months of April-May and September-October. (ANI)