Commercialisation
followed ! Next up was Awards, Prize money & Publicity for best
displayers of Puja pandals ...& the movement took off. Today,
three decades later Kolkata has emerged as a major Retail hub
with consumption of lifestyle products going through the roof,
during the Puja season. A big shot retailer had an interesting
observation. ‘’Before the Pujas, Bengalis focus heavily on clothes,
food & gift items. Afterwards, before Diwali, metal objects hit their
wallets & come in for a boom.’’
So, is the commercialisation of Pujas, after all a reality? Kolkata
based Management consultant Partho Sen believes that the
answer has to be an unqualified YES.’’ To be truthful if it weren’t
for brand support the festival couldn’t have ever happened in such
a large scale. The flip side is that tradition - in some fashion - will
take a hit. The much cherished ANONDOMELA of my childhood
has practically disappeared, fleetingly alive in some Delhi Pujas
in close-knit Building associations. However, let’s salute the
corporates who systematically sets aside a chunky budget each
year for socially relevant activities.’’ Delhi based H.R. consultant
Sanjay Chaudhury however believes that Pujas can never ever be
branded or commercialised “because one worships the essence
of the idol NOT the idol itself!’’ He feels that if by ‘’jazzing up the
protima (& the entire celebration mode,) one can manage to
attract more people, so be it. In these cynical and frighteningly
30
self–absorbed times, it is at least a forced engagement with a
deity one frequently tends to ignore, neglect, forget, overlook, and
avoid - shamelessly rushing for help only when one’s arse is on
fire!’’
At the end of the day, everything considered, Puja 2015 has to
be ‘’contexted’’ in the environment, age & times we live in. Today,
The Puja celebration is hardly perceived as a religious festival but
a full-on celebration – of culture, food, bonding. Commercialisation
and branding it has only elevated it to a national level with celeb
endorsements, big sponsors, top artists, international cuisine,
glamorously embellishing the occasion. From Mughlai, Koberaji
to Mach Bhaja. Hard Rock, Bollywood anthems, Bangla Pop to
Rabindra Sangeet. Dhoti, Punjabi, Designer dare–to-bare, fleshflashing stuff - Pujas today is a platform popularly perceived as a
carnival, mela & ramp! A hi-decibel hi-profile, pan-India festival,
Pujas offer something for everybody. To try, deconstruct it and
figure out whether it’s really a religious ceremony, festival, event,
hip n’ hot happening, showbiz or a big, fat spirituality bazar is to
attempt hara-kiri in very slow motion...
Amidst recession and global slowdowns this years Durga Puja
was also grand and hope the coming years too. aThe godly power
do spine in the marketing and money spending efforts at its best..
JUST C SH \