“Personal VIP bouncer, private butler, curated gift hamper, Starbucks coffee and full-course meal” are part of a promotion for a Garba event in Ahmedabad that features star singer Kirtidan Gadhvi. To be held in a 900,000-square-foot air-conditioned dome, the organisers claim the venue can host 17,500 guests each day. Tickets for the event are priced at Rs 999 and above.Performing Garba on the nine nights of Navratri to worship Goddess Ambe Maa has scaled up to commercial events whose tickets are sold on online platforms, with every added service and comfort coming at added costs. This year, the state government has not announced any curbs on the closing time for Garba events for Navratri beginning October 11 (Sunday).The organisers say that higher fees demanded by artists, coupled with the unavailability of sponsors and a general hike in venue setup rates, have escalated the costs of hosting a Navratri event. Controlling access points is also a focus of most organisers across major Garba venues.The Gujarat government-organised Vibrant Navratri Festival (VNF), which is held on the GMDC grounds and in its 23rd year, has introduced tickets this year. “Last year, a few entry areas were ticketed and completely booked. This year, while the kids and entertainment zone is free for all, the Garba area has a token ticket amount of Rs 100. This is to make it a value proposition and to check that there is no disturbance to the arrangements and administrative control. It is not that we are going to recover our costs from the entry tickets,” Tourism Secretary Kuldeep Arya told The Indian Express.In Vadodara, the cost of playing Garba this Navratri depends on how much comfort, exclusivity and personal attention a reveller is willing to pay for. From a Rs 2,500 season pass to a Rs 1.21 lakh VIP table for 10, the city’s Garba circuit offers sharply different ways to experience the festival.At Lukshmi Vilas Palace Heritage Garba, where one dances with a palace as the backdrop, listed player passes are priced at Rs 6,000 for men and Rs 2,600 for women. The pass for a male student costs Rs 4,600. For a ‘premium’ experience, one must pay Rs 10,620 per ticket on regular nights, and up to Rs 14,750 on weekends and the eighth night. The packages promise VVIP seating, access to aarti, reserved parking, food vouchers, and a guest-relations executive to assist visitors.Anikta Patel, a patron, said, “My friends and I registered for the passes when they opened about two months ago. We also plan outfits and [dance] moves. So it requires a lot of planning since registration is only the first step… The cost of clothes, jewellery and makeup has also increased significantly. Overall, the budget for this Navratri has nearly doubled since last year. It is one of the steepest rises in the last few years, but these are the nine nights that many of us look forward to the whole year.”Story continues below this adAhmedabad’s Karnavati Club, which has 15,500 members, is hosting Garba on two nights and has priced its tickets from Rs 500 to Rs 1,200. The Rs 500 ticket saw a more than double hike from Rs 200 last year.Ajay Thakkar, its honorary secretary, said the club has invited Parth Oza, a popular playback singer and Garba artist, to perform. “We have Parth Oza on October 14 and Sameer Raval on October 15. That is why the tickets are priced higher.”The club has rented out its grounds to a private organiser for the remaining seven nights. “Because of inflation and a dearth of sponsors, artists are charging more this time,” one of the organisers of Shankus Garba at Karnavati Club said.Paresh Dasondi, chairman (entertainment) at Ahmedabad’s Rajpath Club, too stated, “Artists are demanding 35 to 50 per cent more than what they normally charge.”Story continues below this adThis club, which has 16,000 members, is organising sheri Garba on October 18 and 19, and has priced its tickets at Rs 500, Rs 1,500, and Rs 2,000. Oza and Dhruvish Shah will be performing at Rajpath Club.“We have prioritised our members this Navratri. We want to maintain a strict check on the crowd and maintain the quality of the lawn for our members,” Dasondi added.Some corporates who previously sponsored Garba events are hosting them this year. Aadya Raas is one such event hosted by corporate firms at Shankus Farm in Ahmedabad.“The fact that organisers are not getting sponsors is true to some extent. We offered sponsorships till last year, but this time we decided to hold our own event. This is our first Garba event,” said Jigar Joshi, one of the organising managers.Story continues below this adVadodara’s BRG group, which runs educational institutions, is hosting Vadodara Vibrant Navratri, whose season passes cost Rs 3,200 for men and Rs 750 for women. It also offers a Rs 25,000 ‘Elite Combo’ ticket that covers four player passes, VIP parking, access to elevated seating and refreshments. A Rs 12,000 ‘Friends Combo’ combines four player passes with six season viewer passes and a VIP parking slot.An organiser noted that ticket prices were up 33% to 50% at most major public Garba venues. “There are rising costs for sound systems, artists and event arrangements to improve the overall experience of the patrons… The cost of generator sets has gone up, as has the cost of decorations. However, patrons have absorbed the increased prices as registrations are full at all venues.”In Vadodara, event organiser The Red Imprints is hosting nine nights of Garba inside an air-conditioned dome at Satyanarayan Lawns on Gotri-Sevasi Main Road. Season passes cost Rs 4,999 for men and Rs 2,999 for women, minus the GST. At the Kanku Pagla Garba, a group of 10 can spend Rs 1.21 lakh on a VIP table, complete with butler service, a dedicated photographer, food, valet parking and expedited entry. The offering takes the premium Garba experience beyond reserved seating; with services more commonly associated with exclusive hospitality events.Ketan Patel, a reveller who will be attending a luxury Garba event, said, “At a farmhouse Garba event, which caters to more sophisticated tastes, one can avoid large crowds and have a personalised experience. These events have existed at private and invite-only levels but with time, people are looking for more specific offerings. It is a great way to celebrate Navratri for those who do not wish to join a crowd… Going forward, it will be more common.”Story continues below this adYet the premium push has not displaced more affordable options. Vadodara Navratri Festival at Navlakhi Ground is offering season player passes starting at Rs 499 for women, Rs 2,500 for male students and Rs 3,000 for other men.While there are no additional charges or services, a tilak is ‘mandatory’ for entry into the venue, as per the hoardings.Mayank Patel of VNF said tilak was a “customary practice” during an auspicious event like Garba. Patel said that VNF aims to cater to those who do not wish to feel financial pressure during Navratri. “The commercialisation and luxury offering is growing… but VNF has continued with the same prices as compared to some other Garba events. We may have increased costs nominally by Rs 100 from last year. This is because our Garba is open for common people and meant for those who wish to celebrate without feeling any financial pressure,” Patel said.United Way of Baroda has listed the registration cost for women at Rs 2,400; registrations for men are closed. While most other Garba organisers use BookMyShow to manage tickets and entries, UWB uses its own app and QR codes for entry, eliminating physical tickets.