Except translation, this story has not been edited by achinews staff and is published from a syndicated feed.
In 2022, puja clubs in Kolkata decided to drop the “VIP culture” tag. Earlier, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee slammed the “VIP culture” at the puja pandals. Following her comment, several puja organizers canceled “VIP gates” and “VIP tickets”. The tradition still continues in the city. This culture still exists in Guwahati and is more visible in events like Durga Puja.
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A social activist in the city, former lawmaker and Padamesh awardee, Ahoy Kumar Dutta, speaking to GPlus, said, “Nowadays, Durga Puja is just an event for fun and frolic,” adding that there are only a few places where Puja is a matter of devotion. There is no VIP culture there. He said that Ramkrishna Mission Puja, Pan Bazar Hari Sabha Puja and Uzan Bazar Barwari Puja are some pujas where all are equal. He explained that in Hari Sabha, Pan Bazaar where he is also a member of the then Prime Minister was once asked not to visit because it created problems for the general public. “One district commissioner used to come with his family in the evenings to sit and watch Arti,” Dutta said, adding that he is a very low-ranking officer and never shows his bureaucratic powers. He said all VIPs are not like that. He said that in some puja committees, just because someone has paid good sponsorship amounts and has never done any good to the society, they are blessed with gumosa and made to sit on the stage, which is worrying. The general public is given less importance in many puja pandals and only VIP is given preference.
A source at Kamakhya Devalaya who spoke to GPlus on condition of anonymity said VIP culture also exists in Kamakhya. “There are real VIPs such as politicians, bureaucrats and the like, but there are also their relatives who also come as VIPs,” the source said, adding that the temple committee is facing problems because of this. Clarifying if there is any proposal to end the VIP culture in Kamakhya, the source said there are two types of VIP entries inside the temple, one is by purchasing Rs. 500 passes to visit Mea Kamakhya and the second is VIP tickets issued by the district administration.
“R. it is not possible to stop the entry of the VIP of 500 because it is one of the main sources of income for the Kamakhya Temple with the help of which the temple operates,” adding that the tickets issued by the district administration depend on the District Commissioner (DC). The source also said that DC has many senior officials and it is difficult for him to say no to senior officials. The source also said that the current prime minister is also against the VIP culture and he tries not to visit the temple on the day when the temple door opens after Ambubachi, he tries to visit the temple when there is less traffic. The source said that the prime minister is considering reducing the VIP card system issued by the government. It should be mentioned that during Durga Puja, many VIPs visit Kamakhya.
It is not just Kamakhya, but a VIP culture exists in many Puja Pandals during Durga Puja. Prasad is offered to VIPs in another room while the general public has to wait in long queues to partake of the Prasad. In many pooja pandals, VIPs initiate the pooja, the bigger the name of the VIP, the better the pooja.
(Except translation, this story has not been edited by achinews staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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