Even the fizz isn’t there

Never before has the festival of lights been as dull and lack-lustre. It’s not just the buying power that is missing but even the enthusiasm and excitement that usually herald this joyous celebration of the country. Take the most important shopping areas of Pune — M.G. Road and Laxmi Road. They are usually throbbing with activity at this time of the year. Not only are the crowds thinner at the doorsteps of jewellers, gift stores and saree shops, but even the stores are shorn of the traditional festive air. No lights, no frills and utter lack of enthusiasm grip the shop keepers and customers alike.

The Diwali sales banners are hardly there. And it’s just an odd window that is dressed with cutouts of the traditional diyas and lamps. With hardly any attempt being made to entice the customer or steal business from the store next door, it seems like a listless reconciliation to the belief doing rounds that sales shall not zoom this season.

The shamianas that should have been ready by now, adding colour and light to the streets, are still being planned. With not a single kandil swaying in the breeze, not one lane twinkling with the fairy lights and hardly any household deviating from its routine, quotidian life, Diwali could still be weeks away rather than a mere ten days.

If the sweetmeat shops are not inundated with orders, people are not labouring over their preparations at home either. “We do not plan to go in for elaborate sweet making this year. Maybe we’ll just buy a couple of kg a day before Diwali,” says Varsha Patil, who has traditionally been making huge quantities of sweets at home.

Shashi Nanda has even decided to forgo the ritual of new clothes. “Now one gets new clothes on almost all occasions, like birthdays and anniversaries. That feeling of waiting for Diwali to get a load of new clothes for the household seems outdated,” she states candidly.

Little wonder then that as the shop keepers sit twiddling their thumbs, the cash registers are not ringing with gusto anywhere at all. “Things are definitely slow at the moment,” admits Hiten Parekh, proprietor, Bhavnagri Dry Fruit Company, one of the first stores to show some signs of the festive days by setting up a shamiana outside the store where dry fruit boxes have been displayed. “People seem to be holding back and there is a complete absence of the Diwali spirit. Usually by this time well-known chocolate companies send representatives around every single day with the new presentation packs they have come up with for the festival and take orders for them. This year they seem to have disappeared from the scene.” The advance bookings for boxes of dry fruits are negligible.

“Last year we booked orders for corporate gift items from about 50 big companies. This year the number is two or three,” states Manesh Shah of Shan Hira stores, that is usually thronged for gift items. “Most companies are either not giving the employees any gifts or if they are, it’s not beyond Rs. 100 in value, which is really low,” laments Shah.

A trend reiterated by Shantilal Ranka who insists that this is probably the most dull and listless Diwali he has witnessed in the 44 years of his store’s existence. Whereas his Hans Glass and Metal Mart should be throbbing with activity these days, the store shows absolutely no signs of extra stock or customers. “Every Diwali we do extra business of at least Rs 5 lakh. This year, I would be surprised if the amount touches even one lakh,” states Ranka. “Utensils are supposed to be an integral part of Diwali shopping but even that tradition seems to be changing. And those who used to buy pots and pans on Diwali are going in for sets of spoons this year. The sales have gone down by at least 25 per cent and everyone wants credit on the purchases”.

So what is it that has transformed the most vibrant and glittering festivals into a dull and dreary one? The answers are the same from every quarter. Lack of money in the market, economic recession, stock market crash and the oppressive burden of inflation. And of course, political instability.“Everyone feels that they are losing money or that their monthly expenses have surpassed their salaries. To add to that many of the companies have withheld bonuses. If there is no money in the pocket how do you expect people to have any spirit for the festival,” asks Parekh.

The lackadaisical spirit is reflected most aptly perhaps in the dismal scene at Golibar Maidan where 14 stalls of firecrackers await customers, who are nowhere on the horizon. “Never have the sales been so abysmally low,” states R.M. Thomre speaking from his 25 years of experience. “What is also gone is the desire. There are no families with kids in tow coming to even survey the firecrackers available. Usually by this time we complete 25 per cent of the sales. This time we have not done even five per cent”.

Whatever the reasons, the fact remains that there is nothing going on to show that the biggest festival of the country is just round the corner. And though everyone is hopeful that things will pick up towards the end, till then it’s almost as though the festival of prosperity and joyous celebration, is happening somewhere else.