Festival Economy

The main purpose of any festival is to cleanse the human mind of gloom, to strengthen the bond of unity and to inspire people to move forward with renewed enthusiasm. However, the sudden demise of Zubeen Garg has again cast a shadow over the celebrations of our festivals. After the subdued observance of Durga Puja and Diwali, this year’s Raax festival too seems to be dominated more by a quiet, reflective mood than by joy and excitement – Harsha Sarma

At the beginning of this decade, human society was crushed for a few years by  the Covid pandemic. Just as people began to recover and the festive mood started to return, the sudden demise of Zubeen Garg has again cast a shadow over the celebrations of our festivals. After the subdued observance of Durga Puja and Diwali, this year’s Raax festival too seems to be dominated more by a quiet, reflective mood than by joy and excitement. However, the main purpose of any festival is to cleanse the human mind of gloom, to strengthen the bond of unity and to inspire people to move forward with renewed enthusiasm. Festivals reflect our national consciousness, and they foster cultural exchange through mutual interaction and help transform strained relationships into harmonious ones.

Festivals in any region attract large numbers of visitors, and this inflow of people positively impacts local tourism and business. Festivals not only unite us socially but also benefit us economically. They fill us with cultural pride, teach us new lessons and reinforce our collective unity. Any fair or festival becomes a centre of attraction for tourists. Whether in cities or villages, such events have a positive effect on local economies. Beyond politics, festivals directly impact the livelihoods of common people. Small vendors, by investing even a small amount of capital, can earn profits within a short period. The rapid circulation of money during festivals ensures that almost every trader gains at least a little benefit. If a festival becomes a tourist attraction, it not only benefits the local economy but also contributes positively to the national economy. This is because a large number of commercial establishments become involved directly or indirectly. Even for a short time, this creates employment opportunities and avenues for income generation. When money reaches people’s hands, its circulation increases, which in turn raises tax revenues for both state and central governments. This allows governments to fund development projects for public welfare. Festivals create an environment conducive to business activity without heavy commercial investment. As people move from shop to shop, chatting and interacting, they informally promote goods and services — functioning almost like live advertisements. In today’s age of social media, people take photos in front of shops or products and upload them on Facebook or other platforms, which instantly boosts publicity and business visibility. The photos and posts shared online often directly benefit tourism and other related sectors.

Festivals serve as opportunities to present our locally made food items to visitors. If local products are showcased in a planned, scientific, and well-organised manner, they can certainly generate significant economic returns.

In India, the festivals celebrated from autumn to spring contribute immensely to stimulating the economy. For many people, the income earned during these months sustains them throughout the year. During this time, consumption rises and demand for goods increases compared to normal periods. As demand rises, supply must also rise — leading to greater production. For example, during Diwali, demand for earthen lamps, electric lights, and decorative items increases sharply. Likewise, demand for chocolates and sweets also spikes. Candles, rangoli colours, incense sticks, traditional clothes, and other festive goods are also in high demand. The cheerful festive mood also encourages people to buy jewellery, vehicles, and other expensive items. This collective activity between buyers and sellers creates a positive ripple in the country’s economy.

India’s wealth of art, culture, traditional cuisine and natural beauty mainly resides in its villages. The true key to India’s economy still lies there. Even industrial development depends on raw materials produced in rural areas. If village festivals are systematically organized with proper planning, they can not only empower individuals but also strengthen the national economy. During the Durga Puja and the Raax festival, for example, mobile theatre groups perform plays. Fees collected for parking cycles, motorbikes, and cars can provide additional income. Similarly, large numbers of devotees attend religious festivals. Selling items like lamps, incense, and matchboxes to them can also generate earnings. Providing good lodging and food for outside tourists creates further opportunities for income. All these depend on a person’s thoughtful planning and skills. With hard work and dedication, one can find ways to earn locally during festival times without migrating elsewhere in search of jobs.

However, in recent times, organizing festivals has become a challenge because it involves both financial costs and risks. Sometimes a celebrity guest may cancel at the last moment, the stage may collapse, or disputes may arise. While financial losses can be covered by insurance, lost reputation cannot easily be restored. Hence, organizers must exercise extreme caution nowadays.

The best aspect of festivals is that they cultivate in a community a sense of responsibility and belonging toward its own region. They inspire pride in local arts, culture and products, encouraging people to showcase them to the world with dignity. Highlighting one’s own region’s glorious history before others helps open the door to collective progress. Moreover, such activities strengthen social capital and contribute to the overall mental and moral development of the community. At present, Assam has around thirty lakh unemployed youths. It is not possible for the government alone to provide jobs to all of them. Therefore, the authorities concerned could consider introducing well-planned schemes like “Festival Employment”. Similar to how the MGNREGA provides 100 days of employment annually, the government could study the employment potential created by various festivals and prepare a roadmap. For this purpose, academic courses or training programmes on “Festival Management” could be introduced. Such training could reduce losses and open more avenues for profit. A trained individual could handle strategic planning, venue selection, efficient event management, budgeting, advertising and marketing, human resource utilization, volunteer recruitment, and evaluation. These may seem like small, invisible tasks, but if carefully executed with practical understanding, even a local festival can bring significant economic prosperity to a community.

(The author can be reached at harshasarma183@gmail.com.)