A religious programme in Gujarat’s Junagadh district has triggered widespread discussion online after videos surfaced showing a bhajan singer nearly buried under heaps of currency notes as devotees showered cash on stage during a devotional performance. The clips, which have gone viral across social media platforms including Instagram and X, captured attendees approaching the stage carrying sacks, bags and bundles of currency notes before pouring them around the performers while the bhajan and dayro programme continued.
Viral Videos Show Cash Piling Up On Stage
In the videos, bhajan singer Gopal Sadhu is seen seated on stage with a harmonium, fully immersed in his performance as devotees continuously place stacks of cash around him.
As the programme progressed, the volume of money rapidly increased, creating large mounds of currency notes on stage. Organisers and volunteers were seen attempting to manage the growing piles while the devotional singing continued uninterrupted.
Watch | A singer was nearly buried under a shower of currency notes during a Dayro event in Gujarat. The video is from last night’s performance at a Shrimad Bhagwat Saptah in Khambhaliya, Dwarka district. Organisers announced that after covering the event’s operational expenses,… pic.twitter.com/C3MQY3ht28
— DeshGujarat (@DeshGujarat) May 15, 2026
What drew particular attention online was Gopal Sadhu’s calm demeanour during the spectacle. Despite being almost covered by the cash surrounding him, the singer continued performing without reacting to the commotion around him.
Dayro Tradition And Cultural Significance
The incident reportedly took place during a bhajan and dayro event in Junagadh district. Dayro programmes are a long-standing cultural and devotional tradition in Gujarat, especially in the Saurashtra region, where folk music, storytelling and spiritual performances are often combined with fundraising activities.
A Dayro is an ancient folk practice in Gujarati society that generally includes devotional songs, storytelling, poetry, humour and folk performances.
At many such gatherings, devotees shower performers with cash as a symbolic gesture of appreciation, respect and blessings. The practice has remained a visible part of the atmosphere surrounding Dayro events for years.
Organisers Clarify Purpose Of Donations
According to a report by India Today, organisers of the programme clarified that the money offered during the event was not intended for any individual’s personal use.
They reportedly stated that the funds collected during the programme would instead be used for religious activities, donations and community welfare initiatives connected to future spiritual events.
Social Media Divided Over Practice
The viral videos sparked a heated debate online, with several users criticising the public display of money during devotional events.
“This is such an awful practice all over Gujarat, particularly in Saurashtra. Showering money, actual notes, on popular singers looks cheap because, here, one’s materialistic instincts are at work. Why monetise your feelings for the singer? If you like his or her music pay privately, donate to needy without showing off your wealth. Fund institutions of music. Ahir girls hostel definitely need funds. We understand. Pay them in a decent way. Sanity is needed. Urgently,” one user wrote on X.
However, others defended the tradition, arguing that the money raised at such events is frequently directed towards charitable and social causes.
“This dayro, and these money is used in jivdaya or other social causes. This is not consumed by any individual nor these comes from individual. These cultural fund raising,” another user wrote.
Another user also defended the practice, writing, “Dayro in Gujarati culture is for raising donations for social causes. Similar to high end, western fundraisers. These people belong to Agri and Dairy industry mostly, So technically they can have ‘legal’ cash. Content of Dayro is mostly positive and humorous.”
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Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
