Festivals are times of gaiety, joy, love and laughter. They shouldn't make you feel scary, should they?
That's what Christmas makes you feel here in the UK. My third one as yet and I don't understand how people could totally shun the streets and public spaces. Here they stay at home with the family ALL day. No wonder it is a stressful time for everyone. You have to visit people you just about get along with (parents, relatives) and then spent ALL day with them, pretending to have fun. That must be a torture.
Anyway, you can't do anything outside the home. The shops are closed, the buses, trains, movie halls, restaurants. You can't even fall ill, the hospitals are closed. My nephew had a hard time getting proper treatment.
I like Diwali much better. People just descend on the streets in droves and its so lively and energetic. It feels like the most important festival for us. Christmas pales big time in comparison. It only surpasses Diwali in terms of commercialization.
Some more vitality and less commercial approach would do wonders to the Christmas spirit.
Sunday, December 25, 2005
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
11 comments:
If what you say is true, then
well whats the use? They have
so less festivals. Just a christmas.
Still they feel its torture and
pretending to have fun.
We get Holi, Ganpati, Navratri,
Diwali, Christmas as well. And
everyone enjoys all of them.
I havent been to any countries but
day by day, when I compare India
with other countries based on
friends opinion on people and
lifestyle I feel like I am at the
best place. :-)
AM.
Well, thats true. Here don't have festivals, so they invent holidays and Festivals. Thanksgiving, Halloween. In Spring and summer, there are bank holidays just like that, so people would shop more and spend more.
Abhi,
Do you think people need bank holidays for shopping or spending ?
They spend anyways !!
The word is "more".
Shop "more", spend "more".
Though for us, their "less" is
also "more".
AM.
Tushar,
In UK, the economy is more dependent on retail rather than industry. Hence, small things like weather, mood of the people, a match on TV results in massive swings in public consumption. My gut feel is that in spring-summer, when days are longer, the govt wants more people to come out and spend.
Well,if u all agree that we are at right place in terms of friends,festivals and occasions then,what say about the money we spend on these festivals though we all know that most of the indian population is below poverty line.
Still we enjoy such festivals to our fullest neglecting poverty.isn't this a torture?Now,are we not pretending!!!
Well is the last post by NV?
How does neglecting poverty become
torture? And where are we neglecting
poverty?
Festivals mean need for more labour and
labour comes from who? The people from
below poverty line. Which means its
their time to make money and they are
infact eagerly awaiting for festivals,
like Diwali, Navaratri etc. Our
celebrations is their prime earning
time and they celebrate as well.
Additionally festivals here have religious
side and many people help poor by giving
food, cloth, money etc. by wanting to do
some good deeds.
There are many other aspects but thats
just a preview.
AM.
I completely agree with you regarding the fact that,festivals have religious side and festivals provide labourers with employment but my friend i think u are looking at only rosy side of India.
Majority of the labourers are children.More of child labour takes place during the festivals.And to correct you regarding donations then let me tell you that not many people but very few people donate money,clothes etc.May be 5%of people or less,i guess.Others do spend but only for their selfish reasons like feeding a cow(considered to be holy)when a begger is begging right besides the cow.This is just one of the example from the endless list.
And ofcourse,how can we all shun the fact that people spend lavishly in trip to out stations during Diwali vacations or for that matter any of the festivals vacations?why cant they just spend the same amount of money in visiting tsunami affected areas and provide help by ourselves rather than to depend upon our corrupted government.
India is cornucopia of poverty,pollution,immense population,corruption and everything is increasing day by day.Considering all the harsh facts how can we be so happy with people and lifestyle around us and on what basis should we compare India with other countries?
Don't take me wrong.I am not against india.I am truely swadesi but just want everyone to be in true sense with eachother(indians)rather then to just pretend to be with eachother and to blindly accept what we have round us as a way of life.
See its a different perception.
I am being practical and not careless. The general sense is noone is going to stop celebrations because millions of people are below poverty line. There are even more in africa.
The point is to bring awareness in an individual. Everyone give their share for poors. I can double/triple my share but I still can not make up for other 70-90% not contributing. And that does not mean I shouldnt celebrate festivals.
Anyway we are digressing from Blog topic so I stop.
AM.
I would just like anonymous (I completely agree with you regarding ...)to identify himself.
Knowing the person makes it better to respond
ya...we are digressing from blog topic so i stop either and after all its a different perception:-)
RS.
Post a Comment