Editor-in-chief
A big-time celebration of love and the biggest love festival of the Bengalis is likely to lose the intense aroma of craziness and humdrum, the Saraswati Puja this year takes a different look.
Every year festive comes with its energy and enigma but time changes the concept of celebration. To witness the change I made my way through the evening to different malls and restaurants, which made me desperate to click the photographs of the couples enjoying the day, but seeking their permission the most popular excuse for not indulging in the same was that they had not informed their families about this part of the enjoyment. Love is fully in the air, a sigh of relief! But only lovers are not the monopoly category, even friends enjoy to celebrate and flaunt through selfies.
It is always a soothing sight to see people with love and affection (unfortunately that has been limited to couples only – in general sense). But somewhere the celebration has changed. The bunch of students wearing traditional outfits and thronging at the gates of their educational institutions are nowhere seen on a large scale but the crowd has much diverted to the shopping malls and fast food centres. Visiting friends’ homes for ‘bhog’ has taken a backseat. The special menu like ‘khichdi’, ‘labra’ and other Bengali dishes are seen being served at restaurants and not relative’s houses. Small homes and lesser humane intimacy have created a vacuum even in some of the biggest festivals in India. Flaunting yellow saree and unmatched accessories looking for the ‘perfect one’ is rarely seen. The social media is always at the service to bridge the gap, thereby, it dwindles the necessity for waiting forward to the special festivals. You are just a click away from the one you want to be with. Exchanging phone numbers is no more an arduous and exciting game to the youngsters as sending a friend request is much easier and accessible. Still, ‘Maa Saraswati’ smiles at her children with benevolence and patience.
Saraswati Puja has been since ages a youth affair. Students from schools, colleges and universities dedicate a portion of their day fasting and praying to the Goddess to improve their knowledge and marks. This trend, however, does not seem to wither away as marks speak these days. Few shops this year spoke a different story as Madhu Majhi, a shopkeeper at Lake Road said, “The sale of the idols has declined this year. I am still left with 40% of the idols not sold.” On asking what he shall do with the idols he answered, “I will immerse them in the Ganges. This trade has become a juwa-bazar for us madamji.” Whether Madhu Majhi will immerse the idols or keep them for the next year is a miasma but sale has declined that is for sure as all the shops in the line speak the same story.
Evenings are the best buzzing time for the youth and that on the onset of spring, the season of love. Parks are especially overloaded with couples of all ages, sizes and races. Bengal has less often seethed with moral policing like other states and that gives the lovers some freedom in the public space. While Goddess Saraswati awaits her devotees for the evening arati they ride on their love to enjoy.
Last but not the least the celebration calls for food. And food can be ‘prasad’ or restaurant chowmein it whatever it may be the city shouts out loud to the dark sky and the lonely streets about the careless discharge of the plates and the disposal plates where one consumes the dish on the streets without bothering much to drop it in the dustbin.
Social issues are many and the festivals draw our attention more to the contribution of not being a good citizen. It is the responsibility to make all the festivals look good while making the environment best for anyone and everyone.
