The Great Kolkata Autumn Heritage Festival
“Sustainable Development through The Great Kolkata Autumn Heritage Festival”
Durga Puja, also called Durgotsava is an annual Hindu festival originating in the Indian subcontinent which reveres and pays homage to the Hindu goddess, Durga. It is particularly popular in the Indian states of West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Tripura, and Odisha, the country of Bangladesh, and the diaspora from this region, and also in Nepal, where it is celebrated as Dashain. The festival is observed in the Indian calendar month of Ashwin, which corresponds to the months of September–October ,and is a ten-day festival of which the last five are of significance .The puja is performed in homes and in the public, the latter featuring temporary stage and structural decorations (known as pandals). The festival is also marked by scripture recitations, performance arts, revelry, gift giving, family visits, feasting, and public processions. People in Kolkata and many all over the world cannot stay back at their homes during this time. Celebrities are invited for the pandal inaugurations and teenagers rock on the roads both day and night making the city’s spirit level on higher notes. It is possibly world’s largest event compared to any other festival in terms of footfall and eyeballs.
Crucial Role Played By IFSD
The aspiration is to develop a tradition, packaged as a mix of modernism and aesthetics with touch of modern management which would capture the age old essence of Bengali culture; thus translating the nebulous spirit of the great autumn heritage festival beyond boundaries.
IFSD imparts icorporatisation of the fragmented community pujas under organised and at times integrated mega festival projecting developement of rural and urban employment through its passion ,art ,craft ,culture and architecture. IFSD is known for pioneering the theme based durga puja festival in Kolkata. It has also attempted integrated private funded project assistances in past to many renowned durga puja associations like Badamtala Ashar Sangha , 66 pally ,Tridhara ,Shiv Mandir , Ballygunge Cultural , Chetla agrani , shovabazar rajbari , bosepukur etc which has produced some of the exceptional theme based pandals in recent years and attracted many awards and appreciations from the jury panel members from distinguished industry sectors. By doing the same it has corporatized The Great Kolkata Autumn Heritage Festival to support sustainable development of artisans, craftsman & art graduates from urban and rural sector.
Supporting the livelihood of Craftsmen, Farmers, Artisans through theme based pandals
IFSD therefore played a catalytic role for Durga Puja in Bengal and it is evident that The Great Autumn Heritage Festival generates substantial employment and livelihood for various sections of the population in urban and rural Bengal who are gainfully involved for 7-8 months in the preparation of the ostentatious event every year. IFSD is supporting the livelihood of many artisans and farmers; not directly but catalyzing other organizations . Two of its permanently mentored clubs mainly badamtala and 66pally are selected by Govt of West Bengal in the annual week-long carnival of Durga Puja which is undoubtedly the most anticipated event in Bengal
Through these theme based pandals many people like idol makers , drummers , artificial hair- makers ,clay suppliers, craftsmen associated to pandal designing , electricians who are lighting the pandals, folk musicians , migrant laborers. Skilled painters get temporary employment and get paid once during this season. Many farmers and small artists who don’t get enough opportunity to earn from their regular profession in the villages gets a huge opportunity to earn subsistence income during this festive season and therefore sustain themselves in the village and do not become migrant
IFSD believes that we should look at the product called “Heritage Tourism” produced in the factory “streets of Kolkata and Bengal” with “emotion” as energy and “creativity” as the working capital. This “factory” can employ hundreds and thousands of craftsmen from rural Bengal and other rural parts of India at a much lesser investment while preventing rural –urban migration and reducing poverty.
IFSD & Ecommerce
IFSD therefore is launching an ecommerce portal where people from rural and urban areas who do not have access to such platform to promote and sell their products and gain their livelihood. Many people have lost their jobs in this COVID 19 pandemic. IFSD is supporting them by developing an indigenous platform using the skill and experience of its members and executives who were involved in once famous portal in usa called Calcutta online ( aka Netguruindia ) , banglalive and short lived amantran.com in late 90s
IFSD request the Corporate Houses to come forward with Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives for making this venture a grand success.
IFSD is strictly a non profit trust registered under Indian trust act and tax exempt