November 5, 1955 THE ECONOMIC WEEKLY

From the Calcutta End That Puja Feeling CALCUTTA was on holiday for the ers earn some extra money during produced by an artist of a well- last ten days of October. In the this season, why should not singers known advertising agency from and first half of last week, Bengalis cele­ and folk-artists also earn some ex­ financed by the west Bengal Govern­ brated Durga Puja, They spent the tra money? ment, is a great film its sound re­ second half of the week in offering One has had occasion to muse over cording and music direction are not and accepting Vijaya greetings. On some strange contradictions in Ben­ faultless. But, it is the best film Sunday last, they worshipped gal to-day. One such contrast de­ yet produced in Bengal, Altogether, Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth. pressed one as one watched the im­ it is perhaps the best film ye' produ­ From the beginning of this month, mersion processions. Alti is a form ced in India. they resumed work and their normal of devotional dance danced before It is a magnificent achievement life. The care-free days, the gay, the image of Goddess Durga every for the director. It is a tribute *to holiday mood, are over. Calcutta is night for the first three nights. the West Bengal Government that again busy. Offices have opened. That Alti is a pieturesque-dance- it has patronised and financed the Dalhousie Square is no longer de­ monument, came vividly to one's production of this film. It is a re­ serted. mind as one watched a Sindhi lady flection of the Bengali's appreciation Autumn is at its best now. The imitating this dance-form almost of creative effort that pather Pan­ rains are over. The climate is cool to perfection. Alti is not very popu­ chali is a box-office success. And The sunshine is bright. The sky is lar in West. Bengal. But, at the im­ yet, puzzling as it may seem, the rush blue. Work has been resumed. But mersion processions, teenagers, were and demonstration at the opening the holiday mood still lingers. In seen dancing some Latin American show of an indifferent film at a overcrowded trams and buses, one dance-forms to the accompaniment nearby cinema-house was so heavy hears office-goers discussing this of bag-pipes. One felt sad at this that Police had to make a mild lathi year's Puja celebrations. In cafes, one intrusion of morbid modernism charge! hears serious-minded joungmen com­ As in appreciation of fine arts, so, Over and over again, this incom­ pare and criticise this year's Puja in the normal economic life, Calcutta prehensible dualism in life, society, supplements published by Calcutta's is a bundle of contradictions. A culture, politics and economics of numerous dailies and periodicals. visitor to Calcutta cannot escape the present-day Bengal has been stressed This holiday mood will last till conclusion that it is a City where here. Take Kirtan, for instance. Diwali, only a millionaire or a pice-hotel- Kirtan is a form of devotional song watlah can live. For the rich, Cal­ This year's Puja celebrations were which is typically Bengali. There cutta offers a variety of amenities less noisy, but more crowded during are serious-minded persona who are and conveniences. But the rich are the days when it was not raining. making commendable efforts to re­ too few in this City. There are They are all welcoming the ban on vive Kirtan in its pure form. One many pice-hotelwallahs. There are loud speakers. There is much that may have one's doubts whether many middle class people. This last can be said against the Calcutta Kirtan is amenable to Swaralipi section of the City's population leads Police. But there is one thing the (notation). Variation, interesting a miserable life. It is surprising how Calcutta police know. They know diversion, is the essence of Kirtan. the middle-class manages to exist in how to regulate traffic. It was per­ But such attempts at Swaralipi have this City. fect on the night when immersion been made, one gathers from a dis­ took place. tinguished Kirtan wallah to revive Calcutta is a hopelessly costly city. And, a middle-class person cannot One may add a footnote. Buses and to maintain it in is pure form. get value for his money. He cannot and trams on that night were not The Calcutta University has engaged afford the rent he pays. But he pays more crowded than those are every the services of an expert to make it, and yet does not get any comfort day during 8 to 11 a.m. or during notations for Padavali. There are that his opposite number in, say, 5 to 7 p.m. That was because more Kirtan performances which are well Bombay is used to at less cost. He State and private buses were run on attended, where virtuosity is highly the immersion night. It should be appreciated. Kirtan performances at cannot pay the high charges that possible to run more buses for a fashionable theatres are packed to doctors ask or the high prices for couple of hours in the morning and overflowing, though the tickets are medicine that druggists demand. And evening every day. Some such ar­ fairly high-priced and the stand­ yet, there are many doctors here who rangement may ease the traaffic con­ ard of performance is rather poor. must be objects of envy by their gestion during the busy hours. One does not expect virtuosity at Bombay colleagues, as also many mass performances of Kirtan. But druggists here who must be thank­ Durga Puja celebrations are over. one wonders how a Bengali who ing their stars that they are doing Throughout this week, variety enter­ keenly appreciates Kirtan in its pure business in Calcutta and not in tainments will be held in Sarvajanin form can also be so entnusiastic over Bombay. There does not seem to be Puja pandals.. Some forms of these Khanda Kirtan (the modern popu­ any co-relation between the average entertainments like the jatra or the lar version). income and the cost-of-living in this tarja are having a welcome revival. City. This may sound nonsense to Those who are not-too-young prefer If Kirtan is characterisecaily Ben­ an economist. But, then, there are these art-forms to modern sjngs by gali, Bengal still maintains the lead- not many sociologists who do not various artists. During the Puja, in film-making. Bengalis have made know that the rapid impoverishment there is something for everybody. If many films of which they can be of the middle-class in the major the kumana, the drummers, the writ­ proud. Father Panchali, directed and menace to Bengal and Bengalis. 1302