Consumer Voice Sep-Oct 2005

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Dr.Roopa Vajpeyi
Hony.Editor

Editorial

REMEMBRANCE OF THINGS PAST...

Even as I write my page for you, I feel as though I am poised at the edge of a plunge into the deluge of festivals in our cultural calendar, which is about to sweep us all—consumers and the markets—into a swirl of expenditure and festivities.

Several thoughts crowd into my mind, about how most of our festivals are women-centric. This is mostly because the detailed traditional observances built around the festivals, require a set of skills, at which the women folk are most adept. Women are the custodians of the knowledge base. The detailed remembrance of ritual, custom and devotion, needed to help carry us through this part of the year, is mobilised by women. In the current time they have a kind of partnership with the markets. The demand for convenience goods, by harried, over-worked, nuclear family housewives, to help them through the tedium of ritualised DOs and DONTs for these days, is increasing.

Those days of yore when extended family members, and the neighbourhood networks congregated to turn all work into play, are long past. The wish for connectivity to tradition and the deep-felt need to reinvent the festivities and the symbolic bringing to life of the value-systems embedded in them, for the next generation, is a real challenge.

This has the women divided into several camps. First and foremost, a diminishing tribe of some, who like to do everything 'as-it-has-always-been-done'. Next those, who wish to do everything 'as-it-needs-to-be-done', but would appreciate some help from whichever quarter, specially the market. The market facilitates some celebratory aspects, even as it tends to vulgarise, commercialise and build in 'one up on the neighbours' kind of competitive behaviour, quite contrary to the festive bonhomie. In some ways families earlier had more control on the economics connected with the celebratory aspect, whereas now the markets have thrown all limits to the winds. Everything is available in various avatars, ranging from plastic to gold, depending on the pocket of the consumer. Some are from the traditional handicraft range, while others have been ensconced in designer and branded variety.

Last year the 'Janma-Ashtami', ‘Ganesh Chaturthi' or 'Nav-Durga' celebrations crossed all limits in ostentatious display, and the money spent on these celebrations broke all records. The idols which have to be immersed in flowing water, mostly neighbouring rivers, at the end of the celebrations, grew monstrous in their proportions and in environmental implications of their disposal. Hundreds and thousands of these idols of all sizes, made of all kind of colours and materials posed grave threat to the water bodies, in which they were immersed. Structures put up to host and house the community celebrations, crossed all limits and what stood out was the competitive display of enormous proportions, rather than any serious attempt at reinventing and re-enforcing of spiritual or cultural values.
We as consumers have a role here.

We have to define for ourselves, as individual families and as communities, what best represents our belief patterns. What modes of celebration best reflect, protect and endorse our traditions and our surrounding environment. This is not to say that we make no room for taking change in our stride. Adjustment and accommodation have always been the hallmark of our way of life, but what has now become the norm, is unthinking submission to, and acceptance of whatever the markets, for their profit, feel fit to impose upon consumers.
We as consumers have to realise and assert our power, through our demand patterns.

We have control over what we bring home and what role should be assigned to the markets in our cultural lives.

The market segments our needs and aspirations and panders to greed and avarice, splurge and display. These seasonal celebrations are a part and parcel of the harvest patterns. Agrarian societies had access to some spending money , once the harvest was reaped. Expenditures were planned to utilise this available money to stock up on the necessities and necessary assets, even while adding an extra fillip to the festive spirit.

Therefore consumers, can plan to build their buying around what the market has to offer, in name of 'good deals'. This needs to be planned and budgeted carefully.
So, watch your money, keep a tab on your urge to splurge, and be an ethical, green and aware consumer in this season of excesses.

Dr.Roopa Vajpeyi
Hony.Editor