THE ECONOMIC WEEKLY October 29, 1955

From the Calcutta End Season of Festivities AUTUMN is the brief interlude be­ who are allergic to noise. There are Durga Puja is now celebrated on a tween the monsoon and the win­ others who dislike community gather­ Sarvajanin (community worship cen­ ter. Bengal is at its best in autumn. ings. Calcutta is now both noisy and tre) basis. Almost every second It is a season of festivities. It starts crowded. So, those who can afford street in Calcutta has such a Sarva­ with Mahalaya. Navaratri (the Fes­ go out of Calcutta now. They are janin Puja pandai where Durga Puja tival of Nine Nights) is the centre­ the people who are within the upper is celebrated. Everybody contribute piece. This is what Bengalis celebrate middle-in come brackets. But there what he can. These donations are as Durga Puja. On the tenth clay of are many more who now come to pooled to finance Durga Puja cele­ the moon, Dashmi, the immersion Calcutta, They come to Calcutta to brations. This is the economics of ceremony takes place. In Bengal, meet their relatives and friends, Ben­ Sarvajanin Durga Puja. this is known as Vijaya Dashami. galis are home-loving people. And Bengalis are poor people. Parti­ In other parts of India, this is cele­ this is the season when Bengalis out- tion has a^ravated their troubles. side Bengal take casual or privilege brated as Dussera. On the full moon Acute unemployment is pauperising leave to come home. day, Bengalis celebrate Dakshmi them. There are some who frown Puja. Before partition, the movement of upon the Bengali Hindus' extrava­ A fortnight later, on the Amava- population used to be the other way gance during the Puja season. These shya night, Bengalis celebrate Kali about. Then. Calcutta used to thin disciplinarian puritans are not rare. Puja. Throughout India, Diwali (the out during the Puja season. Fastern But they are easy targets for fun Festival of Lights) is observed on Bengalis used to visit their houses in and ridicule. It is a dismal commen­ this day. On the following day, East Bengal. Even among western tary that some of them are students Bhratri Dwitya is celebrated in Ben­ Bengalis few could, or can, claim of the Dismal Science. One would gal- the sister wishes long life and Calcutta to be their home town. have liked them to be more united prosperity to the brother. And so They also left Calcutta during Puja in their endorsement of TEC's stric­ the season of festivities ends. season. Now, after partition, east­ tures against conspicuous consump­ ern Bengalis do not go to their villa­ tion. To mention this is not to imply Autumn is a brief but enviable ges in eastern Bengal. And, even that, there is any sense or logc in season. The dull monsoon is over. among western Bengalis, the home- admonishing Bengali Hindus for their And so ia the toil. The harvest has going habit is now less common. That spending spree during Durga Puja been gathered. The barns are full is why Calcutta is impossibly eon- celebrations. It is refreshing to The climate is agreeable. For, the gvsieri just at the moment. watch Bengalis celebrate Durga long wintery night has yet to come. Time changes. With the change of Puja with such spontaneous joy and Autumn is the season of home com­ time, conventions and habits change. goodwill. As one watches them en­ ing and reunion. This is what the Durga Puja is a costly affair. Only joying life with such abandon, one Bengalis celebrate as Durga Puja a few can afford to celebrate it in hopes they will have the strength to the Home-coming of the Mother who their individual houses now. So overcome their difficulties. is also the daughter. Vijaya Dashmi represents the victory of Rama over Havana, the Good over Evil. As Dussera, this is the Day of remem­ Balanced vs Unbalanced brance and reunion. By the time Kali Puja, or Divali, is celebrated, the winter is fast approaching. In Growth every house, in every hamlet, the (Contributed) lamps are lit. Darkness is dispelled. And the journey through the dark IN current discussions regarding de­ becomes very misleading when it is winter starts. velopment, it is common practice applied to a case of unbalanced de­ to discuss the process in terms of the velopment. In this particular case, To-day, in India, and particularly Harrod-Oomer formula. For the plan- investment grows at a higher rate in Bengal, employment is not brim­ period as a whole, the average sav­ than Income, and income, at a higher ful. The bazars are not full, so the ings, income ratio and the capital rate than consumption. To put the festival season is not as festive as it output ratio are derived and from same things in another way, the sav­ used to be. Even so, a visitor to those ratios, the average annual rate ings income ratio and the capital Calcutta now must be agreeably sur­ of increase of income is calculated. output ratio do not remain constant prised at the mirth and gaiety of this during the Plan-period but change. city's inhabitants. Modern conven­ The use of this technique is legiti­ mate only in the case of a. process of Therefore, the average of the sav­ tions help Bengalis to forget their ings-income ratio and the capital out­ worries for the moment. Mercantile balanced development. In that case, consumption, investment and income put ratio fails to give correctly the houses pay Puja bonus. Government year-to-year picture of the develop­ offices give loans or advances. So grow at the same rates. The use of the formula then gives the correct ing economy. These ratios and the everybody buys a present for his rate of growth of income in this case near relatons and friends. This helps year-to-year picture of the whole economy during the Plan period and should be worked out separately for Puja shopping. This year it has been each year in order to get the correct it is not misleading to speak in terms brisker. Friends and relatives are idea about the magnitude of effort of the average rates of increase of happy. So are all the traders and necessary during each year. shop-keepers. But there are some who income, consumption and investment. have their grouses. They are many However, the use of this formula Russian planned development was 1279