An artisan takes a break from preparing idols of the Hindu goddess Durga at a workshop ahead of the Durga Puja festival in Kolkata
Credit: Reuters Photo
The cotton clouds of Autumn that herald the coming of Durga Puja in West Bengal seem to have turned dark this year amid the ongoing protests over the rape and murder of the trainee doctor at R G Kar.
The mood threatens to disrupt the state's Rs 50,000-crore Durga Puja economy, Economic Times reports.
Amid social media calls for subdued celebrations and protests for over a month, pre-puja consumer demand and corporate funding have taken a hit, the publication reported.
Brands are reportedly worried that demand for apparel, fashion products, as well as sales in restaurants could be hurt unless public sentiment over the coming days gets better. Citing industry estimates, ET noted that the impact could be felt in financial performance for the October-December quarter, as Bengal accounts for 15-20 per cent of national festive sales.
Even companies which bankroll pujas are hesitating to commit to sponsorships, fearing that mass-scale ads could damage the brand reputation at a time when the state's mood remains sombre.
The publication, citing Forum for Durgotsab, a body of community puja organisers in the City of Joy, noted that pujas have only gotten 40-45 per cent sponsorship money thus far, compared to the 70-80 per cent they usually get by this time.
Top executives of many prominent brands told the publication they were in a wait-and-watch mode before committing to sponsorships. The head of a leading consumer electronics brand noted that the company has almost halved the number of pujas it's sponsoring this year, and the amount is also lesser than usual.
The secretary of the Durgotsab forum told the publication that the situation was bad since orders for lights, pandals, and idols were placed much ahead of the incident, and now with sponsors' reticence, the situation was worse than 'Covid year' when the budget was knowingly slashed.
The secretary added that if sponsorships don't come in, then the impact will be felt in coming years as well, as organisers will have to take 'personal debt' to meet expenses.
Consumers seem to have tightened purse strings amid protests as well. The publication noted that footfall in malls is 30-50 per cent lower than usual ahead of puja. Shopping hubs like Gariahat and New Market have been hit as well, with protests in the vicinity almost every weekend.
The CEO of a leading apparel company told the publication that a lot depends on the Supreme Court verdict and how fast things return to normal. "But this pujo seems to be a wash out," the CEO noted.
The head of an electronics and mobile retail chain noted business is down 10 per cent year-on-year for a month now.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had requested protesters to return to festivities, noting that it might otherwise hit the puja economy, and livelihood of many, but not much effect has been seen yet.