📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Prime Minister's Office
Religion
VHP bans Muslim participation, mandates tilak for Navratri events in Maharashtra
✍️ Mangalore Today
🗓 04 Sep 2026, 07:33 PM
👁 23
The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) has issued a directive that only Hindus wearing a tilak may attend Navratri celebrations in Maharashtra, explicitly excluding Muslims from the gatherings.
The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) announced a new rule for Navratri festivities across Maharashtra, stating that attendees must wear a traditional tilak on their foreheads. The organization further specified that individuals identifying as Muslim are not permitted to take part in any of the events organized under its banner.
According to the VHP statement, the tilak requirement is intended to reinforce the religious character of the celebrations, which are rooted in Hindu mythology. The group said the measure is a response to concerns about preserving cultural purity during the nine-night festival.
The directive has drawn criticism from civil‑rights groups and political leaders who argue that it violates India's constitutional guarantee of secularism and equal treatment. No official response from the Maharashtra state government has been recorded as of now.
The VHP has urged local Hindu community leaders to enforce the rule at temples, cultural programs and public processions associated with Navratri. Organizers are reportedly checking participants for the presence of a tilak before granting entry.
The development adds to a series of recent communal tensions in the state, with observers warning that such exclusionary policies could exacerbate religious polarization ahead of the upcoming festive season.
According to the VHP statement, the tilak requirement is intended to reinforce the religious character of the celebrations, which are rooted in Hindu mythology. The group said the measure is a response to concerns about preserving cultural purity during the nine-night festival.
The directive has drawn criticism from civil‑rights groups and political leaders who argue that it violates India's constitutional guarantee of secularism and equal treatment. No official response from the Maharashtra state government has been recorded as of now.
The VHP has urged local Hindu community leaders to enforce the rule at temples, cultural programs and public processions associated with Navratri. Organizers are reportedly checking participants for the presence of a tilak before granting entry.
The development adds to a series of recent communal tensions in the state, with observers warning that such exclusionary policies could exacerbate religious polarization ahead of the upcoming festive season.