India, April 28 -- Concerns over the growing "commercialisation and vulgarisation" of traditional Lavani performances have prompted a demand for stricter regulation and the creation of a dedicated monitoring mechanism to safeguard the centuries-old folk art form of Maharashtra.

A memorandum seeking government intervention was submitted to Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on April 25 by Babasaheb Patil, state president of the film and cultural department of the Nationalist Congress Party.

The representation urges the state government to introduce safeguards for traditional Lavani and curb what it describes as the rising trend of vulgar DJ-based dance performances being promoted under the name of Lavani and Tamasha.

The memor...