Ahmedabad: As Gujarat prepares for nine nights of music, dance and celebration, young people in Ahmedabad are giving their Navratri looks an unexpected twist. Temporary tattoos honouring Captain Smit Machchhar and celebrating the city’s upcoming Commonwealth Games 2030 are emerging as distinctive additions to the festive season.
The designs reflect two different sources of public enthusiasm admiration for a pilot whose actions helped avert a potential aviation disaster and excitement over Ahmedabad’s preparations to host an international sporting event. The trend offers a glimpse of how contemporary interests are finding space alongside traditional festival fashion.
Captain Machchhar, an Indian pilot with Dubai based airline flydubai, attracted widespread attention after a violent incident aboard Flight FZ1073 on September 30. The aircraft was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv when an alleged attack by the co pilot triggered an emergency and forced the plane to divert to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Despite suffering serious injuries, Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door, allowing others to intervene. Passengers and crew members helped subdue the alleged attacker, while available pilots took control of the aircraft. All 174 people aboard survived the incident, according to published reports.
His actions earned him praise from Indian and Israeli leaders and brought renewed attention to his role in the emergency. The temporary tattoos being chosen by some young people in Ahmedabad have become a visible way of commemorating his courage during the festive period.
Another set of designs draws inspiration from the 2030 Commonwealth Games, which Ahmedabad is scheduled to host. The sporting event has added a forward looking theme to the city’s festive preparations, with some residents choosing body art that reflects its growing profile as an international sporting destination.
Across Gujarat, preparations for Navratri are gathering pace, with Garba events, festive clothing, makeup and public celebrations expected to draw crowds. The festival is dedicated to Goddess Durga and her nine forms, symbolising the triumph of good over evil.
The festive preparations extend beyond Gujarat. In Vilachery, a locality in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, more than 200 families are engaged in making traditional Kolu dolls and figurines ahead of the celebrations. Their work highlights the continuing importance of regional crafts and customs during Navratri.
Sharad Navratri begins with Ghatasthapana on October 11 and concludes with Vijayadashami, popularly known as Dussehra, on October 20.
From traditional dolls in Tamil Nadu to contemporary tattoos in Ahmedabad, this year’s preparations reflect the many ways people are bringing personal interests, public heroes and cultural traditions into one of India’s most widely celebrated festivals.
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