Economics of Festivals
Festivals are the rituals that remind us of our togetherness and relationships. These were required for celebrating crops, harvesting and were entangled with religious practices in order to have consistency and discipline. Mind it we are more God fearing tribe than God loving.
Trading and business fell as offshoots with the change of time. Till our economy was closed and till we operated in sellers market there was no problem as to export of intangible and import of tangible. However when we became part of larger world and started speaking the language of market we became more susceptible to all kinds of market behavior. We started operating in buyer's market and that is how we started loosing in competition. When we compete we have to follow rules of the game and accept the verdict of the market. When everything gets decided by the market, we can only watch like deaf spectators. The illusion of tangibility gets faded off when one starts learning crude lessons of life. Gyan is intangible and viGyan is tangible. We want more of viGyan than gyan without realising that vigyan is for maintaining life and gyan for living and leading life.
So the economics of festivals is really interesting because idols are being sold and bought and for that matter state cannot restrict or prohibit entry of products from other countries. What can be done is only at individual level and if citizens weigh price more than patriotism, it is their choice. Reports suggest that this year sale of chinese products is less than last year's sale on weekly basis. We have to wait and watch till Diwali gets over to analyse how Indians have responded to their motherland. This would also help convey our sense of ownership of festivals, celebrations and emotional attachment. Didn't marketers called us Emotional Fools?
Trading and business fell as offshoots with the change of time. Till our economy was closed and till we operated in sellers market there was no problem as to export of intangible and import of tangible. However when we became part of larger world and started speaking the language of market we became more susceptible to all kinds of market behavior. We started operating in buyer's market and that is how we started loosing in competition. When we compete we have to follow rules of the game and accept the verdict of the market. When everything gets decided by the market, we can only watch like deaf spectators. The illusion of tangibility gets faded off when one starts learning crude lessons of life. Gyan is intangible and viGyan is tangible. We want more of viGyan than gyan without realising that vigyan is for maintaining life and gyan for living and leading life.
So the economics of festivals is really interesting because idols are being sold and bought and for that matter state cannot restrict or prohibit entry of products from other countries. What can be done is only at individual level and if citizens weigh price more than patriotism, it is their choice. Reports suggest that this year sale of chinese products is less than last year's sale on weekly basis. We have to wait and watch till Diwali gets over to analyse how Indians have responded to their motherland. This would also help convey our sense of ownership of festivals, celebrations and emotional attachment. Didn't marketers called us Emotional Fools?
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