Kolkata: She sits with an owl at her feet, dwarfed by the towering figure of her mother, Goddess Durga. But has Durga Puja become all about Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth? Many of the organisers of Kolkata's 3,000 pujas ruefully say yes. No cash often means no puja and cash this year was hard to come by.
Ballygunge Cultural, a big south Kolkata puja, spent Rs 45 lakh this year. Organiser Dr Saptarshi Basu says, "We were worried till the last minute about sponsorships. Last year, sponsors were fixed two months before the pujas. This time, we had to wait till the last two weeks."
At the 70-year-old Samajsebi Sangha puja, Bhaswati Sarkar is counting the cash. "The economy is bad. Money market is bad. We have had a very tough time doing the puja this time," she said.
The splash of ads on the streets may belie the fund-crunch tale. But organisers say money is tight, the number of pujas is up and the slice of the ad and sponsorship pie slimmer by the year. "There are too many big pujas in a small area and money gets spread thin," said Ms Sarkar.
The idol of Kolkata's tallest goddess reportedly cost Rs 50 lakh and spent twice as much in promotions, drawing out crowds from neighbouring pujas.
'Parar chanda' or local subscriptions funded pujas are still the norm in places but are on the decline. "Ours is a neighbourhood puja funded by 'chanda' and some ads," says Shyamal Dutta of AK Block, Salt Lake. "Sponsorship may affect the family feel. But we want a good sponsor," he said.
Till 2012, chit fund companies were big puja spenders. But after many of them went bust, puja budgets took a hit.
Ballygunge Cultural, a big south Kolkata puja, spent Rs 45 lakh this year. Organiser Dr Saptarshi Basu says, "We were worried till the last minute about sponsorships. Last year, sponsors were fixed two months before the pujas. This time, we had to wait till the last two weeks."
At the 70-year-old Samajsebi Sangha puja, Bhaswati Sarkar is counting the cash. "The economy is bad. Money market is bad. We have had a very tough time doing the puja this time," she said.
'Parar chanda' or local subscriptions funded pujas are still the norm in places but are on the decline. "Ours is a neighbourhood puja funded by 'chanda' and some ads," says Shyamal Dutta of AK Block, Salt Lake. "Sponsorship may affect the family feel. But we want a good sponsor," he said.
Advertisement
COMMENTS
Advertisement
NDTV Visits Flurys Kolkata To See Special Maa Durga Idol Made With Chocolate For Durga Puja No Rain Likely During Durga Puja Festivities In Bengal: Weather Department Kolkata Dura Puja Committees Focus On Social Issues To Spread Awareness Kolkata Rape-Murder: Fractures, 150 mg Semen, Other Claims Denied By Cops CBI Team At Kolkata Hospital For Digital Mapping Of Crime Scene Doctors Halt OPD Services Amid Nationwide Strike Over Kolkata Rape Horror Let's Work Unitedly To Confront Pressing Challenges: PM To Global South Rs 700 Crore, 18,000 Women Workers: Foxconn's Tamil Nadu Housing Unit Global South Facing Challenges Of Food, Energy Security: PM Modi Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.