Malpractices during the festival of Navratri

Navarātra  is a festival where we worship the Goddess Shakti. It is celebrated over a period of nine days; they signify the nine days and nights during which the Goddess fought the Demon Mahishasura. She then destroyed him on the tenth day. The performing of garba and dandiya are ways to worship  the Goddess. The Navarātra festival has been celebrated for thousands of years. Today, like in other Hindu festivals, many malpractices have crept in which result in public nuisance. The malpractices include the forcible collection of donations, noise pollution, garba performed to the tune of film songs, lewd dancing with obscene gestures performed under the influence of alcohol, a significant rise in the number of unmarried mothers a few months after Navarātra, etc. All this sounds a death knell for the Hindu religion and civilisation. 

To stop these undesirable practices you can do the following:

• Do not give or take donations by force.

• Avoid disco-daandiyaa programs which play Hindi film songs or Western music.

• If loudspeakers are used after 10.00 p.m., lodge a complaint with the nearest police station.

• Avoid immersion processions where people dance obscenely.

• Do not set off firecrackers.

• Use your contacts to organise programs on Protecting Righteousness.

• Learn the spiritual science behind the rites and rituals and share it with as many people as you can.

• Be alert! Unite! Firmly oppose immoral practices during the celebration of this festival.