COLUMN: August 22; Some thing's manifest, others are built.

Maybe I'm not great at simply manifesting things, but I'm great at believing that I'm the universe's favourite child, as long as I give everything I've and trust the universe to take care of the rest. Do you guys remember the opinion piece I wrote about the power of manifestation and how I may be great at it? On Aug. 22, I hosted an event with the help of my team called Bhajan-Mandli Garba Mahotsav, the first of its kind to take place in Calgary. This event was personal! In honour of our mother, who is no longer with us, my brother and I wanted to pay it forward in her name. She introduced us to our religion, culture and traditions, and because of her, we remain connected to our roots. It was an authentic Navratri celebration rooted in the intention of preserving cultural heritage and the essence of the festival, inspired by how it is still celebrated in small villages across India. The vision was to host a de-commercialized version of Navratri away from India, one that welcomed children, seniors, friends and everyone, regardless of which part of India or community they came from. I also wanted to challenge the notion that Navratri, and garba, which is the folk dance form performed in honour of Goddess Durga during the nine nights, is meant only for Gujaratis from Gujarat. Garba is undoubtedly a prominent folk tradition of Gujarat, but Navratri is celebrated across India, in different forms, languages and traditions. Culture should connect us, not create invisible boundaries around who gets to participate. Growing up away from India can sometimes mean missing the opportunity to experience celebrations in their most authentic form. We wanted to create a space where people could feel a little closer to home. My biggest takeaway from this experience was that a unique idea is the beginning, but manifestation without execution is simply a thought. A vision becomes real when you are willing to put your name behind it, do the uncomfortable work, ask people for help, hear 'no,' solve problems, take risks and keep going when nobody else can see what you see. Perhaps the most memorable part was watching other people believe in the vision too, and how it all came together on August 22. My team did their part and more. Local artists and businesses supported us. Volunteers gave their time. Families came together. People told us they felt like they were celebrating at home. Some even said they felt the divine energy of Maa Jagdamba in the room. That, to me, was the manifestation! Not that I thought of an idea and it happened, but that an idea born in my heart became something other people could feel, experience and carry with them. Maybe I'm not great at simply manifesting things, but also at believing that I'm the universe's favourite child, as long as I give everything I've and trust the universe to take care of the rest.