Navratri celebrations are witnessing an unusual trend that has left many attendees frustrated. The concept of ‘Dupatta Gangs,’ once associated only with robbers and thieves, has now made its way into festive garba dance events. Over recent years, some attendees, primarily women at first, began creating “dupattas boundaries” to maintain personal space and ensure safety while dancing. What started as a precautionary measure has gradually evolved into a wider practice, where groups intentionally avoid mingling with others. A Mumbai resident recently shared a video capturing this trend, shedding light on how it affects the overall festival experience.
The clip showed multiple groups dancing within their self-made “dupatta borders,” occupying extra space and limiting room for others to participate. The man in the video criticized the practice, urging such groups to reconsider attending public celebrations and encouraging others to speak out. The post quickly went viral, sparking heated reactions online. While many agreed with the man’s criticism, some argued such incidents are rare at Gujarati events. Times Now could not confirm the authenticity of the video. The viral Instagram post read: “This is a request to all Navratri Enthusiast. I saw this happen to me 2 years ago and I’m still traumatised from going to this ground. I’m sure as Mumbaikars we are definitely better than this,” shared by the handle ‘liveitupwithrajeev’, and it has already received over 39K reactions.
Netizens expressed strong opinions about the phenomenon. One user commented, “Dupatta borders were initially a girls' thing because men used to get handsy at a lot of places with nothing to keep them in check. Now, not only has this become entitled BS, rich ppl kids or even just rich people who pay a lot for passes, need 500 sq m for one person should organize their own garba nights and leave the rest of us alone.” Another wrote, “I was in Vadodara for 2+ years and was mesmerized by their culture & devotion for this festival. The garba over there is played in concentric circles taking Mataji ka mandir as the actual centre.” Others added, “I swear man!!! Finally someone said it. Garba is meant to be enjoyed by dancing with random people,” and humorously, “We got land encroachment in Navratri ground before GTA VI.”