17 Aug 2017  |   04:55am IST

MINDING ONE’S BUSINESS AT CHATURTHI

With Ganesh Chaturthi just around the corner, Café takes a look at the various enterprises involved in the festivities

Ajit John

Come August 25, 2017 and the pace of life in this wonderful state will change. The number of vehicles beating their usual paths will be reduced as people will stay back to welcome Lord Ganesha as he enters their homes on Ganesh Chaturthi. It is a time of great celebration but also an occasion for various enterprises to witness an increase in business. The year has not been very kind to commerce in the country, and more so in Goa, which hasn’t really recovered from the ban placed on mining.

The business of celebrating festivals is vast. From the individual who supplies flowers to the car dealer who makes the festive sales, they all witness a bump in business. As is the fashion, many entrepreneurs are more than willing to talk about the prospects of business during the run-up to Chaturthi. A person dealing in flowers says that business would be good because flowers are something that is needed and usually during Ganpati, people liked to take a mix of various kinds of flowers. He adds that business usually witnessed an increase of around 30% to 40% during this time of the year. A shop that deals in sweets comments that business during the 21-day celebration is generally good. He states, “Most of the people keep Lord Ganesha for a day and a half. For that duration, they keep various kinds of sweets at home. The usual bill during this time of the year is around Rs 800 at the very minimum.” He smiles when he is asked how much business is generated. He simply says that he is usually happy at the end of it all.   

Gold always has an emotional hold over the average Indian and more so a Goan. John D’Mello of Chintamanis says, “People are walking in to the store and checking out the designs, promising to return to make the purchase in a couple of days. All jewellers look forward to the start of the festival season and Ganesh Chaturthi is usually when the action all starts. I am positive and keeping my fingers crossed.” 

An executive at Tanishq states that business is on the upswing with the offers period on and it should continue to be good during the festival period. The sale of diamonds is on the rise and the festival season should witness a further boost, given the variety of designs and the quality assurance that the brand promises.

The most important aspect of the festival is the statue of Lord Ganesha. Premnath Natekar of Panjim, who has been in the business of selling Ganesh idols for 25 years, says that business is very good. He reveals, “I am fully booked. I have idols priced between Rs 600 and Rs 16,000. I brought in 350 pieces from Kolhapur, Pen and Belgaum and have sold each and every one of them. I have idols sized from one foot to 9 feet. I spent Rs 32,000 to transport 75 pieces from Pen in Maharashtra to Goa. The paint work is fantastic. I place orders in May and I always receive them on time.” He adds that the clientèle in Goa is discerning and they look for idols that have not been seen in other parts of the Konkan. He has already made plans for the next year in terms of colour choice based on feedback received this year.

Perhaps the scale of business generated during this time can be gauged by the fact that Damodar Sirare from Cuncolim, a craftsman who makes the small tables used to rest the Lord Ganesha idol, had conducted business worth Rs 12 lacs last year and he hopes to do something similar this year. Fingers crossed.