‘Rent a Garba partner’ ads go viral ahead of Navratri; Gujarat Police issue warning

No partner to go Garba with this Navratri? Social media now has an unusual answer: rent one. Instagram posts offering “Garba partners” for a fee have surfaced in Gujarat, with packages promising anything from a couple of hours of dancing and selfies to extended Garba sessions.

The trend may sound tempting to anyone looking for company during Navratri, but Ahmedabad cybercrime police are asking people to be careful before responding to these advertisements or making payments.

The “rent a Garba partner” posts started appearing on social media last week, with photographs of young men and women advertised as paid companions. The rates mentioned in the posts range from ₹500 for shorter packages to as much as ₹6,500 for extended or all-night packages.

The idea is an Indian festive twist on the broader “rent a boyfriend” or paid companionship trend, a concept that became associated with Japan and has since appeared on social media in India as well. In recent months, Indian social media users have shared content around hiring companions for activities such as shopping, movies and outings.

Unlike conventional dating services, these arrangements are generally presented as temporary companionship, with the person hired to accompany the customer for a particular activity or period. In the new Garba-focused advertisements, that idea is being packaged specifically around Navratri.

Why Gujarat Police are warning users

Ahmedabad Deputy Commissioner of Police (Cybercrime Branch) Lavina Sinha said police are investigating the social media posts to determine whether they involve fraud or malicious intent.

The warning is not simply about the idea of hiring a companion. Police have specifically cautioned users about payment links and photo attachments shared through such posts. According to Sinha, seemingly harmless links or images could contain fraudulent links capable of compromising messaging applications or bank accounts.

Police have advised anyone who encounters such fraud to approach the nearest police station.

Meanwhile, the advertisements circulating online are divided into different tiers, often labelled Silver, Gold and Platinum. Some have been shared by small reel creators and influencers, while anonymous accounts have also advertised Garba partners across multiple cities in Gujarat.

The lower-priced offers generally advertise around two hours of companionship and Garba, sometimes including matching outfits, selfies and help with Garba steps. Prices in these posts range from around ₹500 to ₹2,000 for male partners and up to ₹3,000 for female partners.

For someone heading to the Garba ground without a partner, the advertisements may look like an easy way to find company. But with Ahmedabad cybercrime officials now examining the posts for possible fraud or malicious intent, users are being urged not to click unfamiliar links or send payments without verification.

The police investigation also puts the spotlight on how quickly a social-media trend built around companionship can turn into a potential cyber-fraud risk, particularly when strangers are being asked to make payments or open links sent through Instagram and other platforms.