Gadkari calls out indecent music making rounds at Ganesh & Durga mandals

Time of India

a day ago

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Nagpur: Union minister
Nitin Gadkari
on Saturday expressed concern over the increasing use of 'indecent' music and songs at Ganeshotsav and Navratri celebrations, warning that such practices negatively influence younger generations.
Speaking at the prize distribution ceremony of the Khasdar Inter-School Patriotic Singing Cup, Gadkari urged organisers to focus on programmes that inspire values, culture, and positive change.
To counter this trend, Gadkari announced that under the Khasdar Sanskrutik Utsav banner, over 300 performances will be staged at various Ganesh mandals this year. "We offered mandals the option that expenses would be borne by us, and these programmes will now entertain while also imparting good values," Gadkari said.
Recalling an initiative last year where a Marathi writer organised the programme 'Lokaho Mala Maaf Kara' (Forgive Me, O People) to highlight the original vision of Lokmanya Tilak behind Ganeshotsav, Gadkari said the event exposed how far the festival strayed from its roots.
He reiterated the need for cultural revival through music, theatre, and bhajans by saints like Tukdoji Maharaj and Sant Kabir, whose simple words carried deep spiritual meaning.
Highlighting the broader initiatives of the Sanskrutik Utsav, Gadkari said bhakti mahotsavs have been organised where thousands of students sing verses like the Manache Shlok, Ram Raksha Stotra, and Vande Mataram.
One such event, with 30,000 students, even entered the Guinness Book of World Records. During Covid, theatre competitions supported artists financially, while a large Sharadutsav initiative provided employment to 450–500 girls through a mehendi drawing camp that saw nearly 49,000 women participate as customers.
Sharing personal memories, Gadkari recalled how teachers in his school taught patriotic songs by Vasant Desai, Pushpa Pandhare, and others.
"Listening to and singing such songs gave us a sense of contentment and inspiration," he said. He urged schools to continue this tradition, pointing out that music and words have a lasting psychological impact.
Expanding on his cultural vision, Gadkari revealed that over 4,000 bhajan groups have been given tablas and harmoniums to encourage devotional singing at temples.
"Regular bhajan sessions bring positive changes in thought and behaviour. This is how society evolves and strengthens the foundation of the state," he remarked.
Turning to contemporary challenges, Gadkari suggested that every child should spend at least three hours in playgrounds daily, citing his own grandchildren's enrolment in gymnastics and badminton as examples.
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25 Marathi songs composed by Shankar-Ehsan-Loy to commemorate RSS centenary year
Nagpur: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari announced that 25 specially composed songs based on traditional Marathi music by singer-composer Shankar Mahadevan will be launched on September 28 at Suresh Bhat Auditorium to mark the centenary of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
Gadkari said the initiative, prepared under the Sanskrutik Utsav banner, aims to promote discipline, road safety, and national pride through music. He recalled spending his childhood at the Dr Hedgewar Memorial at RSS Smruti Mandir, which inspired him to initiate such cultural programmes. Earlier, a road safety song composed by Mahadevan went viral, following which Gadkari requested versions in 22 Indian languages.
The upcoming launch, he added, will combine cultural heritage with social responsibility, reflecting the Sangh's values of nation-building.
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