Sorry for the delay in writing a new post. All this while, I was busy doing nothing! hehe.. :D Forget it!
Now that I have returned, I have two HOT topics with me. Don't be baffled by the title of the post. It's not for a 'Puja in Singur' or '(Media) Worship of the Singur issue'! I will discuss the incidents separately, which are mainly related to West Bengal but having an impact not only on India, but worldwide.
The first is obviously the Singur controversy. As far the latest update is concerned, Mr Ratan Tata is moving away in search of greener pastures (here it was grey, not even green, those who know would understand). So the much awaited Tata Nano factory would not be built in Singur. Lets not get into, who was responsible for what! Politics is not my cup of tea and am least bothered about it! The concerning factor is that, this would be a big jolt towards projecting West Bengal (and for that matter, even India) as an investment-friendly destination for the big corporates. Questions are already being raised about if Mr Tata could face these kinds of reaction on his home turf, what would be the plight of overseas investors. I would not dare answer these. There are others, much older than me, much more adept at gauging industry trends, much more people friendly (read 'janta ke sevak')and much more concerned about whether the country's youth should have a right to change their fortunes, it's for them to answer. Much print has already been used up on this grim issue, so let’s move over to something more soothing and happier.
Yes! The festival times have begun all over India with the 'Navratris' starting from 30th September'2008 all over India as well as the Durga Puja (mainly, but not limited to) in West Bengal. Today is 'Shashthi'. The Durga Puja starts from today itself. Next come 'Saptami', 'Ashtami', 'Nabami', 'Dashami'. I would not go into the details (frankly I do not know that much!), but being a Kolkattan, for me, the pleasure lies in the sheer enjoyment that people indulge in throughout all these days. There is the tradition of buying clothes and dress materials for near and dear ones before the festival begins, which they put on during the festival time and go out 'pandal hopping' (For those who do not know the term, let me tell you, it simply implies you go from one pandal to another offering your prayers to Devi Durga and admiring the wonderful craftsmanship on display). With this, eating and merry making play an important part as well with food courts catering 24*7 throughout these 4-5 days. Children have ample fun with the 'Phuchkas', 'Alu kablis', 'Bhelpuris' and good old ice creams. Overall, for many, this is the time of the year when enjoyment is at its peak! If you are an atheist, do not worry, you still have access to pubs and nightclubs to chill yourself, and even high end restaurants with all the delicacies that you can dream of! Only, your pocket needs to be heavy, else you miss out on the fun. As far as pure devotion is concerned, simply watching a Puja in progress is enough to purify the soul and to bring about peace of mind! References:
http://www.durga-puja.org
http://www.indoryoko.net
http://www.dancewithshadows.com
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