Navratri and Durga Puja are among the biggest Indian festivals celebrated across the UK, bringing communities together through faith, music, dance and shared traditions.
Sharad Navratri begins on October 11, marking nine nights of spiritual devotion and celebration, while Durga Puja follows soon after, with Maha Saptami falling on October 17.
The festivities take many forms, reflecting the rich diversity of Indian culture. In southern India, families and communities celebrate Navratri with Bommai Golu, a traditional display of dolls and figurines, while across the UK, different communities come together through their own customs and celebrations.
From community centres in London and Leicester to venues and open grounds in Manchester and Birmingham, preparations are under way for celebrations expected to draw thousands. Garba and Dandiya nights, devotional programmes and Durga Puja gatherings will bring people together, creating a festive atmosphere where Indian communities can celebrate their heritage and people from diverse backgrounds can join in the celebrations.
While Navratri and Durga Puja are a time of celebration, faith and community, safety has also become an important part of preparations for this year’s festivities. The celebrations come amid wider concerns about hostility towards immigrant and minority communities. The 2024 Southport killings highlighted how quickly misinformation can fuel tensions, while official figures for England and Wales recorded increases in both race and religious hate crime in the year ending March 2025 (see p3 for more).
There have also been concerns over racially motivated violence, harassment and sexual assaults, with South Asian women among those affected. For organisers planning large gatherings, ensuring that women, families and all attendees feel safe has therefore become an important consideration.
Against this backdrop, Navratri and Durga Puja organisers across the UK are introducing additional safety measures, including CCTV monitoring, professional security teams, controlled entry and more.
Navratri and Puja celebrations put safety first
Asian Voice spoke to several organisers about the steps being taken this year to ensure that the festivities remain safe, welcoming and inclusive for everyone.
Heena Parekh, Co-founder, MK Events said, “Safety is one of our biggest priorities, especially because Navratri is very much a family celebration and we have people of all ages attending. This year, alongside the venue security and professional security team, we have a separate health and safety team looking after the overall wellbeing of people inside the venue. One thing we have particularly thought about is children. When parents are playing Garba, naturally children want to run around and play, and on a busy Garba floor that can become a safety concern. So, this year we are creating a separate designated play area for children, away from the main Garba floor. It means people can enjoy their Garba while children have their own space to play more safely. We are also paying close attention to entry and exit procedures, crowd movement and keeping important access areas clear. For us, organising a successful Navratri is not just about putting on a great show. When thousands of people are trusting you with their families, you have a responsibility to make their experience as safe, organised and comfortable as possible.”
Speaking about the importance of ensuring that people from all backgrounds feel safe, included and welcome at the celebrations amid wider concerns over hostility towards people of colour, Heena said, “For us, the message is actually very simple: everyone is welcome. We are very proud of our Gujarati heritage, and we are passionate about keeping the authenticity of Garba alive, but being authentic does not mean being exclusive. We want somebody who has never experienced Navratri before to walk into Chachar Chowk and feel just as welcomed as somebody who has been playing Garba since childhood. Especially when there are wider tensions in society, we feel cultural celebrations can have a positive role. Instead of only telling somebody about our culture, we can invite them in and let them experience it — the music, the colours, the food, the energy and, most importantly, the warmth of the community. Once everyone is standing in the same Garba circle, those differences can suddenly feel much smaller.”
On increase in participation from non-South Asians in Garba celebrations, Heena emphasised, “Over the years we have seen more people from outside the South Asian community becoming curious about Garba and wanting to participate rather than simply watch. And we genuinely love seeing that. Sometimes they may not know the steps when they arrive, but somebody next to them will show them. A few rounds later, they are joining in with everybody else. That interaction itself is such a beautiful representation of what Navratri can be in multicultural Britain.”
“At the same time, for us at MK Events, growing diversity doesn't mean changing the essence of Navratri. With Chachar Chowk, we are actually very particular about preserving authentic, original Garba and Raas. We want people from different backgrounds to experience the tradition as it really is, rather than changing the tradition to make it more accessible. We feel there is something very special about saying, “This is our culture, exactly as we celebrate it — come and experience it with us,” she added.
Kingsuk Bose, founder of Bilete Bangali said, “Bilete Bangali has been celebrating Durga Puja in London for the past six years, and for us it has always been much more than a religious festival. It is a celebration of community, culture and togetherness, open to everyone irrespective of their background.
“Safety and security are among our highest priorities. Our Puja is held at a large banqueting venue, and we have dedicated security personnel as well as an experienced team of volunteers responsible for safety, crowd management and the wellbeing of our visitors. We continually review our arrangements so that families, children and elderly guests can enjoy the celebrations in a safe and welcoming environment.
“At a time when there are wider concerns around hostility towards immigrant communities, we believe festivals such as Durga Puja have an important role in bringing people together rather than dividing them. Over the years, we have been delighted to welcome increasing numbers of people from outside the Bengali and South Asian communities. Through food, music, art and cultural programmes, Durga Puja creates a wonderful opportunity to share our heritage while building friendships across communities.”
Bhaskar Bhattacharjee, Organising Committee Member, Prayash UK said, “Prayash UK has celebrated Durga Puja in Surrey since its beginning. This year we will be at Chertsey Hall, in an area where many residents are white British. Local people often come in out of curiosity and become excited as they learn about the stories and traditions behind the festival. Some return for the free bhog, which we are delighted to share with everyone.
“As a charity celebrating a Hindu festival, we take our responsibility to our neighbours seriously. We respect the laws and local culture and plan our activities, so they do not disturb the surrounding community. We strongly discourage religious activities in the street. As in previous years, we will have private security and volunteers at the venue, principally to welcome visitors, offer guidance and help the event run safely.
“We recognise the wider concerns about hostility towards immigrants, but our experience in Surrey has also shown us how much warmth and curiosity there is between communities. This year, we have worked with a local charity to arrange hot food for people who need it. For us, Puja is an opportunity to share our culture and to contribute to the place we call home.”
Sanjay Roy, ICS, Cambridge Puja Committee Member said, “At ICS Cambridge, the safety and comfort of every guest is the foundation of our celebrations. As we mark our 25th year, our Durga Puja will again be held at The Netherhall School, our venue for many years. Being a school, it has multi-layered security, extensive CCTV coverage and good lighting throughout, and is available to us from morning until late evening.
Over the last two months, our committee has worked closely with the school administration to document every aspect of the venue and its expectations of us. Food and other stallholders must follow the school's rules: no open flames, and at least five documents and certificates submitted well in advance, which we verify a week before the event. On the days, our "May I Help You" volunteer team assists guests, alongside the school's administrative staff and security.
“Cambridge is a cosmopolitan college town, and our Pujo reflects it. Professors, students, residents and friends from across the globe, as well as many Britons, drop by to share the music, food and warmth. We are honoured that a representative of the High Commission of India and the Mayor of Cambridge will join us as Chief Guests.”
(see more on p17)
