Maharashtra Bans Dandiya, Garba, Processions in Navratri

Maharashtra State Government has banned Dandiya, Garba, and other cultural programmes in view of the COVID-119 Pandemic. With less than 20 days left for Navratri to begin the government has issued a 16-point circular asking people to celebrate the festival in a simple manner. These steps are taken to curb the spread of coronavirus that has hit the state the worst.

Dandiya and Garba are particularly popular among the Gujarati community during Navratri. Speaking about the ban Ganesh Naidu, the organizer of Dandiya at Kora Kendra in Borivli had a say.

He said, “We are not against restrictions, but we should be allowed to organize orchestra at the pandal and telecast it so that people can play dandiya sitting at their home. In the wake of the Covid-19 lockdown, people are fed up sitting at homes for the past six months and need some sort of entertainment and religious celebration.”

Here is the list of instructions issued by The State House Department to celebrate Navratri:

• The height of the idols is limited to four feet on pandals and two feet on indoor celebrations.
• No processions will be held on the first day and the last day of Navratri.
• Ravan Dahan should be observed in a symbolic manner, with crowding discouraged. Live screening of the same can be facilitated
• Not more than five persons are to be present in the pandal at a time.
• Organizers have been asked to use digital media for rituals such as darshan.
• Instead of Paris plaster (PoP) idols, organizers should choose either mud or permanent idols.
• Artificial ponds should be built by local authorities near pandals to immerse the idols on the last day.
• Immersion at public places will not be allowed.
• For hosting public Navratri gatherings, mandals will be required to take permission from local administration or municipal corporations.
• For mandals, sanitization and thermal screening have been made compulsory.
• They will also not be allowed to provide the services of food or drinks

Navratri, begins on October 17.

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