Ahmedabad: Navratri is just around the corner, and Khelaiyas are already gearing up to dance their hearts out to the tunes of Garba. With less than a month left for the nine-day festival, bookings for Garba passes have begun both offline and through online platforms. While Vadodara is known as the Garba capital of Gujarat, Ahmedabad—home to some of the largest and increasingly posh venues—does not lag behind.

As every year, the Khench Taan and Jugaad for passes remain on everyone’s mind, but those who simply want to buy daily or season passes are feeling the pinch, as prices have soared, with some passes going as high as ₹10,000.

Skyrocketing pass prices make popular Garba highly commercialized

Major events like Mandi Garba, Sheri Garba, and Gift City Garba have their passes on sale via BookMyShow and District by Zomato. Ahmedabad is witnessing a sharp surge in Garba season pass prices for 2025, with several leading events introducing steep rates that rank among the highest in the state. Passes for events such as Mirchi Rock & Dhol, Rang Morla, and Mandli Garba range from ₹2,799 for individuals to ₹18,999 for group passes, reflecting both festive enthusiasm and growing commercialization.

For instance, Mirchi Rock & Dhol charges ₹2,799 for individual season passes and offers group passes up to ₹18,999. Rang Morla, featuring Gotilo fame Aditya Gadhvi, has single-day passes for one person priced over ₹1,900, while a season pass costs more than ₹10,824. Additionally, organizers offer home delivery of passes, which adds extra charges.

Mandli Garba, another popular event with tickets on BookMyShow, has single-day passes at ₹999. Another Mandli Garba organized by the Common Events Planning Team offers single-day passes starting at ₹1,299, with season passes priced at ₹10,000.

Baroda vs Ahmedabad: Price and Sentiment

Some of Ahmedabad’s prices are now even higher than Baroda’s famed Garba events. In Baroda, LVP Heritage Garba and United Way Garba (Atul Purohit) have faced social media backlash over steep price hikes. The LVP Heritage Garba season pass for females rose from ₹1,300 in 2024 to ₹2,100 in 2025, while the male pass now costs ₹5,500. United Way sets male and female passes at ₹4,500 and ₹1,800, respectively. In contrast, top-tier Ahmedabad events like Mandli and Rang Morla surpass ₹10,000 for a season pass, offering a premium festival experience but placing a heavy burden on wallets.

Conclusion

Both cities are at the heart of Gujarat’s Garba culture, but the price hikes in Baroda have already drawn criticism and online campaigns, with festival-goers lamenting the commercialization of what was traditionally a grassroots celebration. In Ahmedabad, while there is less public outcry so far, a growing segment of the public questions whether such high prices are putting Garba out of reach. Many suggest that those unwilling to pay premium rates might choose to enjoy the Sheri Garba—street-style community Garba held within local neighborhoods or residential societies. DeshGujarat