amitavasen What is astronomical In the realm of prices and inflation everything is out of reach today by yesterday’s standard. Look at the bright side today’s astronomical cost will be rock-bottom tomorrow. Like the cost of any other goods and services there is no comfortable level for “chandaa”. Market forces will decide it rule of supply and demand. The commodity was scarce and the demand was so high that a large number of subscribers willing to pay high prices had to be turned back at a local Puja. In order to bring “Chandaa’ down increase the supply have more Pujas more the merrier and cheaper. Competition will improve the quality one hopes. Officials will not take the market for granted and will build a better outdoor tent making it unnecessary for us to wade through the mud for three days of deluge will find local artists who can sing in tune get Calcutta artists who can cater to the majority of the attendees. But for now don’t blame the provider of the service they are selling at a price what the market bears and we are buying ungrudgingly from all evidence gladly. After all by today’s standard 100 or 200 dollars for three days of food adda Calcutta artists and above all an opportunty to show off wardrobe of new sarees is not a bad deal. It is definitely a better bargain than spending 25 to 50.00 and sitting through two to three torturous hours of inane and poorly produced dramas post post modern poetry reading by not so gifted poets or the absurdity of listening to the English translation of Sukumar Ray poems in front of 100 Bengalee speaking audience . To their credit the Puja organizers do not force it down our throat as the local retail performers do. The cost of Goat meat or Calcutta artists are not the only culprits. The organizers have aged. In spite of all the clamor about younger people to take charge the bulk of the heavy lifting behind the scene is still done by one or two older persons and the need to subcontract the work almost all physical work except singing and dancing on the stage is understandable. Sub-contracting raises cost. The much heralded second generation has never arrived. The Pujas are still an affair of Indian born Bengalees young and old with the rare and pleasant exception of White American “Jamaais”. Amitava Sen