The Gen-Z Influenced Bollywood-isation Of Navratri

Looking back at these 9 days of Navratri, from dancing on the beats of Chogada to grooving on Kamariya, the traditional Gujarati festival has been Bollywood-ized. It has now become a community engagement and a commercialised money-making flair, with the passes of these events being sold abruptly at the blink of an eye. Does this modern manifestation still honour the intended celebration of feminine energy, or has it been fundamentally reshaped and largely commandeered by the participation of the Gen Z community?

The GenZ curated Garba

Overshadowing the traditional, community-focused ‘Sheri-Garba’ (street garba), the garba venues have become DJ-style extravaganzas frequently featuring celebrity appear

Looking back at these 9 days of Navratri, from dancing on the beats of Chogada to grooving on Kamariya, the traditional Gujarati festival has been Bollywood-ized. It has now become a community engagement and a commercialised money-making flair, with the passes of these events being sold abruptly at the blink of an eye. Does this modern manifestation still honour the intended celebration of feminine energy, or has it been fundamentally reshaped and largely commandeered by the participation of the Gen Z community?

The GenZ curated Garba

Overshadowing the traditional, community-focused ‘Sheri-Garba’ (street garba), the garba venues have become DJ-style extravaganzas frequently featuring celebrity appearances invited by organisers, a clear strategy designed to attract and monetise a larger, contemporary audience.

This means that the ‘Garba’ or ‘Dandiya Night’ has now transformed into an aesthetic ‘Get Ready With Me For Dandiya’ reel to a fashion-forward photo opportunity, prioritising aesthetics and visual performance over the spiritual and ritualistic dancing. This Gen Z-influenced event has diluted the deeper mythological meaning that the traditional folk songs and dance forms depict.

The blaring Bollywood music, along with the social media trend of 'finding a partner' at garba events, signifies how we have collectively altered the fundamental motto of this celebration.

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What is the festival all about?

Traditionally, Navratri or the ‘Nine Nights’ is a devotion to Ma Durga/ Amba and embraces the Shakti or feminine energy in her nine different forms. Garba is traditionally performed every night in a circular formation, which depicts going through the life-cycle of birth, life and death. In the centre, there is an earthen pot called ‘Garbha Deep’ which symbolises the ‘womb’ or ‘Garbha’ that involves the creation of all beings and the presence of feminine energy.

Garba is performed before the aarti and is a graceful performance usually played with hands or by clapping, where women wear mirror-worked, colourful ‘Chaniya Choli’ and men often wear ‘Kediyu’ ( short kurta). Dandiya or the ‘sword dance’ is followed by Garba and is played after the aarti using two sticks (dandiyas). It is said that garba symbolises the creation of life and death, whereas dandiya is a battle between Goddess Durga and Mahishasur or a fight of good over evil. The 10th day is called ‘Vijayadashmi’ or popularly known as ‘Dusshera’. 

Is this modernisation worth the change?

It's clear that the religious and devotional heart of the event has largely faded from the consciousness of the younger generation. While this communal gathering remains a valuable means of fostering togetherness and celebration, it has now predominantly transformed into a digital spectacle and little more than mere entertainment. We may celebrate the concept of feminine energy, yet the prevalence of 'social media' devotion rings hollow when contrasted with the distressing reality that is the common use of profanity or obscene language specifically targeting women, relentless verbal and physical attacks, and the horrifying frequency of rape cases all serve as a stark, speaking contradiction.

While it is truly remarkable to pursue a revolutionary change, this progress should never come at the expense of diminishing every important endeavour to merely an occasion for amusement, social bonding and for the sake of 'Bhakti-less' digital posting.

Views expressed by the author are their own.