Gandhinagar: The Government of Gujarat has today clarified that permission for holding Puja and Aarti during Navratri festival will not be required in the cases in which residential societies of flats when Pooja – Aarti is going to take place within their premises. Permission from Police for holding Aarti and Puja ceremony during Navratri will be required only when it is planned on public places or road.

Amid COVID-19 pandemic, the festival of Navratri is beginning on October 17. A nine-night festival associated with bhakti of Hindu Goddesses is marked with traditional Garba – Dandiya Raas dance events. One integral part of the festival is aarti of Goddess Amba in the evenings. In view of pandemic, the State government has prohibited Garba events but permitted the aarti portion, daily for an hour, in maximum presence of 200 persons with mandatory social distancing provisions. The Government had earlier prohibited distribution of prashad after aarti, however in a fresh decision, only packed prashad distribution has been allowed. DeshGujarat