Date:04/10/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/10/04/stories/2006100415800300.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Time to celebrate...spend

R. Sujatha

City residents speak about their budgets, plans for Diwali "Last year during Diwali our area was submerged in rainwater"

CHENNAI : Diwali is a time for festivity... not to forget the spending that goes with it. A time when money flows in and out without our realising it. Employees look forward to the bonus, usually a handsome packet, and businessmen also budget for the festival.

A. Sundar, a 33-year-old chartered accountant in a private firm, says: "My budget is Rs. 10,000 for clothes, crackers and sweets. I won't buy jewellery. May be after marriage. I will spend the day with family and friends. Last time the sound of crackers was very less. I don't know why." Uday Mehta, a former president of Rajasthan Cosmo Club Foundation, has set aside Rs. 3 lakh. He plans to invest in puja material such as a yantra of Mahalakshmi. He will paint his home and invest in a new wardrobe. "We try to keep the house clean. Even Mahalakshmi wants a neat and clean house." He plans to buy electronic items for his home and spend Rs. 25,000 on fireworks.

During dhan teras, observed a day before Diwali, he plans to buy gold. "We perform four hours of puja. On Diwali day the lights should be on all night to light the way for (Goddess) Lakshmi," Mr. Mehta says. Television artist Vivekanand, who plays the male lead in Kalki, was married in July. "It will be just a normal day because my father passed away in December," he says. Lakshmi Jayaraman is an officer in Indian Petrochemical Limited, now taken over by Reliance Industries. "I invest it (bonus) or pay up arrears," she says. Her college-going children do not demand sweets or fireworks. "They will buy crackers for Rs. 200 or Rs. 300." She has budgeted Rs. 7,000 for the occasion.

Radhika Srinivasan is an office assistant, whose children are in school, and she too plans to invest her bonus. "If I do not invest now I will get taxed. The company gives some amount as gift for clothing. Sweets come from the office." Her budget is Rs. 5,000 and she hopes to set apart Rs. 500 to buy fireworks. "Usually we buy more grocery items during Diwali time and make sweets at home. Every year I plan to buy gold. May be this time I will buy gold jewellery for myself."

Some are neck deep in the municipal body elections. R.S. Babu, secretary TNHB colony, Madhavaram, has not planned yet for the festival. "I am concentrating on election work. Our president is standing for the election."

Valasaravakkam resident P.S. Srinivasan is also treasurer of Valasai People's Association. He says: "Last year during Diwali our area was submerged in rainwater. It will be a triple celebration this time. Our relatives will be here and the municipality poll results will also be out. We are expecting a change in governance because more independent members are contesting in the poll."