Men in sarees, a 200-year-old story: Gujarat community's unusual Navratri ritual

Men from Gujarat's Barot community wore colourful sarees and performed garba during Navratri as part of a tradition linked to a nearly 200-year-old story of sacrifice, remorse and atonement, news agency PTI reported.The ritual is held every year on the eighth night of Navratri in honour of Sadu Mata, a woman from the community. Participants regard it as an act of penance and gratitude and pray for the well-being of their families and community.At least 40 men from the Barot community and other believers gathered at Sadu Mata Ni Pol in Ahmedabad's Shahpur area on Sunday. Wearing sarees and vermilion bindis, they performed garba in the cramped courtyard of a small temple dedicated to Sadu Mata.Satish Barot, 60, told PTI that 25 to 30 men from other communities, including Muslims, participated in the ritual this year. "It is a matter of pride for me. I have been taking part in this ritual for over 40 years now," he said. Pintu Barot travelled from Surendranagar with his family to attend the event. "My 10-year-old son, my brother and his son are taking part in the Sadu Mata na Garba for the first time," he said as his wife helped him drape a saree.Local resident Kirtibhai Barot said the tradition had continued for generations. "We pray for the well-being of our community and also thank her for her blessings every year," he said. Tushar Barot, a resident of the traditional housing cluster, told PTI that the ritual dated back more than 200 years. According to the account shared by him, Sadu Mata was summoned to Ahmedabad's royal court because of her exceptional beauty.The ruler ordered that she be brought before him and sent soldiers to fetch her. "However, members of the Barot community resisted sending her to the court against her will, leading to a clash with the soldiers," Tushar said.As the threat escalated, Sadu Mata first killed her daughter, Ajuba, and then asked her husband, Hathisingh Barot, to kill her with a single stroke of his sword rather than allow her to be taken to the royal court, he said.Tushar said her death left the community with a deep sense of guilt over its inability to protect her. In the following years, the community believed it was under a curse as family lineages declined, and several households witnessed the deaths of male members.Seeking forgiveness, community members gathered at the site where a shrine had been established in Sadu Mata's honour. They expressed remorse over their failure to protect her and prayed for the survival and growth of their families.As part of their vow, the men pledged to wear garments associated with Sadu Baa as an act of atonement. The community believes its family lineage began to flourish again after the prayers, strengthening its faith in the ritual.Over time, men wearing sarees and performing garba on the eighth night of Navratri became an established tradition. "For the men of every age group who take part, the ritual is an expression of faith, devotion and collective vows," Tushar said.The annual gathering continues to bring together Barot men and other believers, who perform garba in sarees to honour Sadu Mata, seek forgiveness and pray for the well-being of their families and community.- Ends