Of Puja pandals

With the Durga Puja festivities just around the corner, a section of the media has focused on the expenditure budget of puja pandals in various places. One such report has claimed that in Guwahati city alone, over Rs 100 crore would be spent by all the puja committees. If this estimate is to be believed, then, considering the large number of puja pandals across the state, the total amount of money that will be spent in Assam in a span of four or five days will probably cross the Rs 500 crore mark. Taking a closer look, one will probably discover that this huge expenditure does not leave behind anything permanent, which can help improve the lives of the common people. While there is no contesting the fact that Durga Puja is the most sacred and the biggest Hindu festival of worship, one can definitely point out that expenditure not related to the rituals can be definitely cut down and the surplus thus emanating spent on activities that will help improve lives. A puja pandal with such surplus can probably construct a toilet block for girls in a nearby school. Another can probably look at the needs of special institutions working for the differently abled, and so on. As a large number of people turn up at puja pandals, one can also indulge in some creative activity, like bringing out a book on child rights or on the various unique aspects of Durga Puja, which are focused on women empowerment and security, among other things. There are a few—very few—puja committees across the state that organise theme-based exhibitions, apart from various competitions among women and children. More puja committees should take to such activities rather than causing pollution by using blaring sound systems and by rampant use of polythene and plastic.