Kolkata – The City of Joy, is preparing for the biggest festival of Durga Puja (Durgotsav), 2021. Still, there are many thriving for their livelihood.
Dorgotsav – Main Festival Season in West Bengal – Kolkata
With the start of September month of the year, West Bengal – Kolkata starts preparing for the long festival season. Starting with Vishwakarma Puja, then goes Ganesh Chaturthi, Mahalaya– The beginning of Devi Paksha, Durga Puja, Laxmi Puja, Kali Puja – Dewali, Jagatdhatri Puja, etc. The long tail continues till the month of November.
The famous two festivals among the Bengalese are Durga Puja & Kali Puja. It’s about a 15-20 days gap between these two every year. The whole of Kolkata and also West Bengal starts preparing to celebrate the carnival long before the month of June-July every year.
Especially, the Puja Organising Committees start preparing for the Puja Pandals, their other resources. Sculptors start making Idols. The business owners start marketing their products to sell. The people start their shopping for the festive season.
The morning of Mahalaya starts with the famous “Mahishasur Mardini”, and it’s also the bell of the start of the big festive season. The roads of Kolkata start glittering with different lightings effects. All shops and shopping malls are crowded with people, shopping their last-minute requirements to dress up for the festival season. All the roadside is full of banners, hoardings used for the promotion of different brands.
Durgotsav – The season of Business:
Apart from the best festive season, it is also one of the best seasons for the business. Especially the business associated with fashion & garments, jewelry & accessories, hotels & restaurants, tours & travel, advertising agencies, etc. Everyone looks forward to this season, as the season generates huge revenue, in comparison to the other quarters of the year. Even, big bulls like Flipkart & Amazon India also provide their biggest sale during this time.
This festive season creates an opportunity for income for the people of rural Bengal also. Dhaki – play the dhak(drum), labors associated with craftsmanship for making pandals – they all get the opportunity to earn something for their family.
As a huge surge in buying from the customers is seen during this period, companies and businesses come out with several marketing strategies – extra discounts, buy & get free offers, coupon codes, etc. Even, the aggregators like Banks and other financial organizations, payment gateways bring different schemes and offers to increase their business.
The advertisement agencies and other marketing agencies put all their efforts to generate huge revenue for them during this festival time. The hotels & restaurants start special offers during this festive time, to attract more customers.
As, the common civilians are crazy with the festive mood, and try to enjoy this period of time at the best, on the other hand, it’s a competition between the businesses to generate more revenue.
The Picture defines everything:
The picture was taken by one of my friends in front of a shopping complex in Kolkata.
- What does this picture depict?
- Does it not tell something very important which we all sometimes just not see?
It looks funny to see that mannequins, which don’t have life, have fashionable clothes to wear! Whereas, a small kid, who has life – have nothing to wear? Such a misery or tragedy, I must say.
In the midst of a happy mood or enjoying the festive season, we often unsee the persons getting deprived of all things. There are lots of families, who don’t have permanent shelter for them. The road-dwellers or the footpaths dwellers. Don’t they have the right to enjoy the festive season? The person living on the street earns their livelihood working as labor, servant, rickshaw driver, etc. In the crossings of Kolkata, you will see often old people, ladies with babies in their arms, even kids begging.
The recent data of the poverty index tells that in West Bengal 27.5% of the people of the state are below the poverty line. But, out of this data, many thousands are there that don’t fall under this data. Each and every day they thrive for living for themselves and their family. The situation got worse by the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic situation.
There are many NGO organizations in West Bengal & Kolkata, working for the development of these people. But, it’s very tough for them also as the number of roadside dwellers is increasing. State Government is also very active in helping needy people, by trying to provide them shelter, most importantly medical facilities. Many clubs, committees, political parties even come up with helping hands to help all the needy people.
Conclusion:
It’s our responsibility, each & everyone’s – to reach out our hands to help the needy people. Kolkata is known as the “City of Joy”. We can only say this when everyone dwelling in Kolkata will be enjoying the festive season with a happy smile on his/her face.
It is believed that Maa Durga comes to earth to stay with us for 10 days. We welcome Devi Durga as She is the symbol of strength, wisdom, who protects her children from all evils. And, we worship Goddess Durga, so that she showers her blessings on us to keep us fit and healthy.
“This year may Maa Durga bless all of us and keep us from all the evils.”