Festivals.. random thoughts..

People celebrate many religious festivals all over the world. Huge amount of money is spent in the name of such celebrations. How does such celebrations affect the characters of individuals? Does it help to make the people better? Honest? Less corrupt? It is an important issue and very interesting response from people from various backgrounds was received. 

Sri Ashok Kumar Jain frankly commented, " No idea sir..." Biswajit Sutradhar was blunt enough to comment, " I don't think so."

"Great thought, Sir. Faith is glamor", commented Rupam Goswami.

"A relevant query ,  the answer to all these may be NO", thinks Vishwamani Seth.

According to Pradipkumar Chakrabarty, "Celebrations of festivals in massive way is wastage of money,it could be deployed some other activity.Of course celebration of festivals are part of life, we cannot ignore it, what we can do minimize the unnecessary expenses.."

Sanjiv Goswami writes from Australia,  "I think it is useful .. it helps to keep religious fanaticism away .. that is why though we have communal riots (always due to political reasons), we do not have the sort of fanaticism that is seen in many countries (of all religions) .."

"I don't think so that festival inspires to be honest or less corrupt ,its just done traditionally with minimal moral impact.Today its just show off and spending money lavishly whether he earns or not", opined Shreekumar Gudhiyari Menon from Raipur.

Purushottom Bajpai of Mumbai was frank enough to write, "I think, festivals are now, only formalities... and a source of get together , and also many time a competition of expressing the superiority either by showing money power or by showing art power(music, decoration or arrangements and comforts)...people are coming with big Bhog to distribute the visitors, and the visitors... specifically go to those pandals , where more and more ppl r there with home made Bhog for distribution ... recently I observed in GANESH MANDALS IN MUMBAI."

 
"Festivals has many merits. It cause a family reunion, a break from regular routine, few days of relaxation spent in community activity social events. More important it cause a rotation of large amount of money ,benefiting almost vast section of population", Soumendra Bandopadhyay from Kolkata said.


"Festivals make people joyous.it makes man festive.i never go into the question like someone's betterment of character and personality through celebrating fsvls.religious occasions may be considered something different since there remains the question like spiritualism,salvation,ancestors rituals etc.and also there is no question of lessening or increasing corruption excluding black part of donating", was Milan Gogoi's view.

Subhralin Thakuria commented, "These days celebration on any day irrespective of some occasion or auspiciousness, is actually be taken as a show-business." 

Hare Krishna opined, "To corrupt it offers opportunity to be more corrupt; ..they make offerings(=bribe) to even god... for furthering corruption..."
 
"Nah! Piousness has nothing to do with uprightness!" Shankar Tayung commenetd.

"No chance... now a days people follow rituals for ritual sake." Thinks Cheenu Srinivasan.

And Arun Kumar Verma said, "Celebrating festivals necessarily do not make people better , honest or less corrupt. Even hard core criminals before executive any crime do performs religious rituals . For most of the people it may b joyous moments celebrating with family get together, for spiritual peoples they go along with respective gods , faiths can b developed which gives rise in their determination for doing in that respective field and it may depends from person to person - I do not know having much knowledge on this subject."

Majority of the respondents do not think that festivals do not have effect on our moral side. It is just an occasion for celebrations and get together.