Price rise to tell on Durga’s platter

Inflation, though no longer a runaway figure, has cast its shadow on the October festival. All mega-budget pujas in the south of the city are revising their budgets as prices of essential items and materials continue to climb.

Though organisers put the inflationary effect on the pujas as “not very significant”, they have been forced to make changes in their plans and juggle figures to make ends meet. The pinch is being felt most in the price rise of essential food items, the sharp increase in electricity charges and the exorbitant bill for pandal construction.

The rise in prices of food items like rice and other cereals, cooking oil and potatoes will have a direct effect on the elaborate spread offered to the goddess over five days of the festival. Most organisers have had to revise the budget for bhog and scale down the feasts. So, those looking out for a free lunch at the pandals may well be disappointed.

“Last year, the budget for the feast was Rs 2.8 lakh, this year it has shot up to Rs 3.5 lakh. Generally, the increase each year is around Rs 30,000. But this time, it has shot up by Rs 70,000,” said Anirban Bose, the general secretary of Jodhpur Park Saradiya Utsab Committee.

Around 1,800 people sit down for the feast at the puja pandal for two days at Jodhpur Park.Cooking bhog has become a problem for puja committees. “Last year, we bought cooking oil priced at Rs 58 per kg. This year, it has risen to Rs 75,” rued Suvajit Sarkar, one of the conveners of Badamtala Ashar Sangha.

This year’s pandals might not be elaborate as materials have become dearer, pushing up budgets. “We are spending Rs 12 lakh in total, up from Rs 9.5 lakh last year. Usually the increase is around Rs 1 lakh. But we have been forced to increase our budget by Rs 2.5 lakh this year as the cost of most materials used in pandals has increased,” said Sarkar.

According to Badamtala Ashar Sangha, bamboo was available for Rs 45 per kg last year, but the price has shot up to Rs 60 per kg. A kg of nails, which would come for Rs 45, now costs Rs 60. Also plaster of Paris, a must for all theme-based pandals, is now dearer by Rs 15 per 25 kg.

Mudiali Durga Puja Committee, known for its innovative pandals, has not been hit hard by the rise in cost of materials, thanks to their artist. “Mafuz Khan, who has been making the pandal for years, does it almost gratis. This has come as a huge relief for us,” said Sanjoy Ghosh, a puja committee member.

Escalating electricity charges also threaten to dim the festive fervour. “Last year we had to spend Rs 400 for a chain of lights that had 100 bulbs of 25 watts each . This year the electricians are charging Rs 475 for the same,” said Sarkar of Badamtala.

Mudiali Durga Puja Committee has has reduced its budget for electricity from Rs 3.5 lakh to Rs 2.25 lakh. “This year we will do only streetlights. Till last year, we had decorated the houses in the neighbourhood with small bulbs. But that would have cost Rs 1 lakh more this time,” said Ghosh.

Apart from the bhog, the pandals and the lights, the other casualty of the price rise will be bisarjan. “Last year we had spent Rs 40,000 for immersion, but this year we may have to cut it down to Rs 25,000,” said Ghosh of Mudiali Club. Light gates will be few and they have opted for a small band.

But aren’t private sponsors pitching in? “We do try to recover the cost from our sponsors, but they don’t agree to a more than a 10 per cent hike over last year’s sponsorship. The only way to meet the expenses is by asking club members for more subscriptions and that is tough,” added Ghosh of Mudiali.

For Jodhpur Park Saradiya Utsab, inflation 2008 means a slash in savings for their mega year. “For the past five years, we have been saving around Rs 2.5 lakh each Puja for our 60th year in 2012, which will be a grand affair. But we don’t think we will be able to save more than Rs 1.5 lakh this year,” said Bose.