Navratri is the most important festival of Gujarat but the true spirit of Navratri celebration is lost. One can easily observe how many people attend the Aartis. No sooner the Aarti is over all nuisance starts with filmi discos and there is no real rhythm of Amba Maataji Garba. On the other side, today’s youth wants to enjoy “Navratri” in a different way viz. not religiously but fashionably and flirtingly. Way of celebration changes year by year. The families have to forcibly spend thousands on the “new and fashionable clothes, accessories” of their children rather than on the real “pooja” of Maa Ambe. No doubt, the culture should also be kept up and one should dress up and dance gaily and enjoy but not at the cost of causing nuisance to others. Playing music and drumbeats are deafening and causes noise pollution, which we cannot afford at the present rate with so many health hazards. Let us celebrate Navratri without a sign of eve teasing, forcing against will or any sort of incident that affect the very strong social fabric that is maintained by us.
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
