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Be afraid... very afraid

I saw the scaffolding come up for Ganpati Puja and I shuddered.


I work a stone's throw away from Mumbai's biggest Ganpati Puja at Lalbagh. Seeing the workmen awakened horrific memories of insane traffic and fighting for every inch on the way to work.


Don't get me wrong. I have nothing against Ganpati Utsav. I love festivals and I think that they are a wonderful outlet for pent up energy. I used to live in Kolkata which used to come to a standstill thanks to do a Goddess. And I am not talking of Mamata Banerjee.


The thing about Durga Puja in Kolkata is that it is a holiday for everyone. Pretty much like Chinese New Year in the Orient and Christmas in the West. So those who want to celebrate it do so with unbridled passion. The rest stay home and chill without worrying about work.


No such luck with the Ganpati Puja here. Offices are open so you have to navigate through some pretty insane traffic situations to get to work. Those who celebrate it have to balance work and festivity. And that's no fun. Or they have to take an off day for a festival celebrated ironically by the largest community of the city. And those who don't celebrate it are pressed through the oil mills of tortuous traffic for no fault of theirs.

Add to this the Wednesday jams because of the Mahim Church, the Dargah jam for a week in December, the Mount Mary Fair blockades in Bandra and you will soon pray for freedom from religion.

It's sad that in India religious festivity is coupled with civic frustration.

A really sorry state of affairs. And I hope that it's not coming soon to a street near you.

Comments

Scarlett said…
I totally hear you!
4 August 2009 at 03:47
Moonshine said…
Thank god i only stay 5 mins away.. push comes to shove, i can walk it!!!

I do remember egtting stuck in ganpati traffic for more than an hour and a half.. from office to mahim.. can you imagine!!!!!
4 August 2009 at 08:17
Kalyan Karmakar said…
Scarlett, Moonshine ... spare a thought for the rest of us at the end of this month :(
5 August 2009 at 03:37
Shaili A. Shah said…
u write really well! and i know this is the million and eighth time someone's told u tht :)
8 August 2009 at 09:43
Kalyan Karmakar said…
Hey Shaili... at the risk of sounding corny... sounds just as great the million and eight time. Thanks so much
10 August 2009 at 03:32
Anonymous said…
Loved your posts... Very well written..!!! Would really like to request you to start sharing your posts with www.mumbaikar.com. We have a whole lot of bloggers who have great blogs on the site. If you are interested in doing so please do get in touch with me at neha.gandhi@mumbaikar.com
28 August 2009 at 01:04
Kalyan Karmakar said…
Hey Neha, thanks for getting in touch. Would love to be a part of Mumbaikar with a name like 'Kalyan' and a surname ending with 'kar' I am as much of a Mumbaikar as it gets
28 August 2009 at 07:56
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