Stories
Men in Sarees: The 200-Year-Old Curse and Navratri Ritual in Ahmedabad
- •Men from the Barot community and other believers in Ahmedabad donned colourful sarees and vermilion bindis to perform garba on the eighth night of Navratri.
- •The unique ritual is rooted in a 200-year-old legend involving Sadu Mata, who chose death over being taken to a royal court by a ruler.
- •Locals believe a curse led to declining male lineage and deaths after Sadu Mata's sacrifice, prompting the community to seek penance.
- •Men pledged to wear women's garments as an act of atonement, a tradition that locals believe restored the community's prosperity and family lineage.
- •Around 40 men, including participants from other communities and even Muslims, gathered at Sadu Mata Ni Pol in the Shahpur area to take part in the generational ritual.
Key Questions Answered
Men from the Barot community and other believers dress in colourful sarees and perform garba as an act of penance and gratitude. This ritual follows a nearly 200-year-old tale where a clan woman named Sadu Mata sacrificed her life to escape the royal court, leading the community to seek forgiveness for failing to protect her.
The tradition originated over 200 years ago when the ruler of Ahmedabad ordered Sadu Mata to be brought to his court due to her beauty. To avoid being taken against her will, Sadu Mata killed her daughter and asked her husband to kill her with a single stroke of his sword. The community subsequently faced a decline in family lineage and male deaths, believing it was a curse for failing to protect her, which led them to institute the saree-wearing ritual of atonement.
Every year on the eighth night of Navratri, at least 40 men from the Barot community and other believers gather at Sadu Mata Ni Pol to participate in the ritual. The participants range across different age groups, including young children, and this year the event also saw participation from 25-30 men from other communities, including Muslims.
