Mangaluru: For more than 90 years, the Sri Gujarati Mahajan Association has preserved the religious and cultural traditions of Gujarat through its Navratri celebrations in Mangaluru, keeping the focus firmly on devotion, ritual and community participation. Founded in 1935, this registered association began this year’s celebrations on Sunday, with traditional prayers and the ceremonial establishment of the sacred sanctum.The morning rituals began with aarti and puja before representations of Ambaaji Mata, Laxmiji, Gayathriji and Mahakaali, accompanied by floral offerings and prasad. The central wooden sanctum, bearing representations of the goddesses on its four sides, houses silver pictorial representations of the deities. A traditional earthen pot, known as a garbo, containing a lit lamp is placed on top of the sanctum as part of the ritual, with a decorative metal canopy suspended above it.The ceremony, known as Pratishtha, involves community members collectively lifting and installing the sanctum at the centre of the hall. A husband-and-wife couple (one couple chosen each year) performs the initial aarti and puja, after which members proceed in an orderly procession around the sanctum, offering prayers.Nigam Vasani, president of the association for the current year, said the celebrations remain rooted in their original religious significance.“We play Garba and Dandiya strictly around the goddess in a completely synchronised format, maintaining the pure devotional atmosphere year after year.”The evening features traditional Garba and Dandiya performed by men, women and children in coordinated formations around the sanctum. Although the event is open to the public to witness, participation in the ritual dances is restricted to association members. The music consists exclusively of devotional songs, bhajans and kirtans dedicated to the goddesses, without Bollywood numbers or DJ remixes.“We want to ensure that our younger generations experience the authentic spiritual essence of our culture without outside commercial dilution,” Vasani said.One of the most distinctive rules is a strict ban on photography and videography throughout the celebration. The restriction applies to participants, visitors and invited dignitaries, including MLAs and MPs.Vasani said the rule was introduced to protect the privacy and dignity of women participating in the traditional dances and preserve the sanctity of worship.“When women played Garba, outsiders used to take pictures from various angles, which completely disrupted the sacred flow and harmed the worship of the goddess.”The association continues to enforce the prohibition irrespective of a visitor’s status, placing religious observance above publicity.Non-community members and outsiders can witness the event and the festivities, but participating in the Dandiya and Garba specifically restricted to only the community members. Festival chairman Naveen Patel and past association president Chetan Sureja are among the key members involved in the committee.Through its emphasis on devotional music, traditional rituals and respectful participation, the community’s annual celebration remains a living expression of its cultural heritage in Mangaluru.
