Undesirable Practices During Navartri

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Today's youth celebrates Navaratri-festival just for the sake of entertainment. They create nuisance by establishing public committees to celebrate such religious festivals and collect money by force, create noise pollution by playing boring music on loud-speakers. Then they indulge in activities like organizing inappropriate programs; drink and gamble the whole night in marquees.

The members of the committee do not even realize that their activities make ridicule our deities, religion and traditions. Such committees established just for the sake of nurturing egos and competing with other committees results only in wasting lakhs of rupees on decorations, lighting and in creating special displays/exhibits overlooking the main objective of welfare of society and creating awareness. This competition creates enmity and rift among the committees and disturbs society's equilibrium. The society has to pay for the undesirable practices in celebrating festivals today. The committees have no regard for the basic aim of collective worship and spiritual practice.

It is a tradition to dance before the goddess during the nine days of Navaratri. This dance is known as 'Garba'. It is a type of folk dance from Gujarat. It is necessary that Garba is played with Krushnaleela, songs composed by saints played on the combined tune of traditional instruments; but presently Garba is played on the tune of film songs and the deafening sound of modern musical instruments.

Garba" is a form of worship of the Goddess. Thus, it is mandatory to safeguard piety while performing 'Garba". The feeling of devotion that one has while worshiping a deity should also be fostered while playing 'Garba". However, in the present times, people are seen to wearing gaudy and revealing costumes for Garba! Thus, it has become a medium of show and pomp, rather than that of fulfilling spiritual pursuits! People performing Garba mostly comprise of drunkards in large numbers. Also, people perform it with their footwear on. All these malign the sanctity of the festival.

Festivals and religious celebrations are the best available opportunities for impressing values of loyalty to Dharma (Righteousness) and the Nation. It is a collective religious rites performance of people. People celebrating such festivals and participating in the rites experience joy and bliss.