Navratri, the nine-day Hindu festival, is being celebrated with great fervor across India, and videos of devotees attending dandiya and garba nights have flooded social media. One particular video, capturing a garba performance inside Mumbai Airport, has sparked a debate on civic sense and public decorum.
Harsh Goenka shares video
The viral clip, shared by industrialist Harsh Goenka, shows airport staff and passengers breaking into dance. Men and women dressed in yellow and red traditional attire can be seen performing garba, while airport staffers participate in dandiya and garba in their uniforms. “At Mumbai Airport-passengers, pilots, staff, loaders, all moving to the same beat. No other airport in the world has this spirit. This is India,” Goenka captioned the video.
Social Media Reacts With Criticism
The video, however, triggered a wave of criticism from several social media users, who claimed the celebrations disrupted the airport’s decorum. “This kind of idiotic behavior has brought problem for Indian diaspora globally, stop promoting nonsense. Because once you do it and it is promoted people start doing it anywhere without knowing the place and time and local civic sense,” one user wrote. Another added, “What an embarrassment.”
Despite the backlash, the clip has garnered millions of views and sparked discussions about celebrating festivals in public spaces. While some praised the joyous spirit, others argued that airports, being high-security zones, require strict adherence to rules and etiquette.
The debate raises questions about balancing cultural celebrations with public order, particularly in spaces where safety and decorum are paramount. As Navratri continues, videos of dances in unconventional locations are likely to surface, keeping the conversation about civic sense alive.