Cashing on Celebrations

When a friend of mine, who happens to be part of the administration of a prestigeous city college, which celebrates 150th year of its foundation, said that it costs them rupees twenty five lakhs, to setup a stage for the five day concluding celebrations of the jubilee, which would be attended by both the Prime Minister and Home Minister of the country. It is a matter of great pride for the college administration, and more so for the past students! I was just trying to imagine what twenty five lakhs rupees would amount to, and I can hardly imagine so much of money could be spent for a passing phenomenon as jubilee celebrations.

I had read a few days ago in a newspaper that the past students of the school and college had decided to raise about ten crore rupees (one billion rupees), to meet the expenses of the concluding celebrations of the jubilee. I dare not raise the issue if all these expenses are really required to celebrate the jubilee, and would it not be more proper to undertake a social or cultural project to commemorate the occasion! It is true the college and school administration are not going to spend so much money, but the past students are there to do their part to collect the money!

I wonder if we should blindly go in to spend money so lavishly, just because we are not going to spend from our pockets, and others are there to sponsor the expenses. I was told that one of the leading dailies and publishing house has undertaken the expenses of the stage (twenty five lakhs rupees), and the sponsor would have the honor to present mementoes to the Prime Minister, and the chief minister and other dignitories during the function. I find it hard to believe, leave alone accept this kind of planning and execution!

I am surely not against any meaningful celebration of the 150 years of commitment to value education to the nation; it is indeed time to reminsce and be grateful to God and nation for the glorious moments that have rolled by. In the light of the 250 odd families who have lost all their possessions at the Basanti Colony at Ultadanga Road railway station, I was thinking the twenty five lakhs rupees could have given them enough to restart their lives with dignity and honor; each of the families could have availed ten thousand rupees, which would have been enough for them to have a plastic or tin sheet over their heads and around them. The people would have been ever grateful to anyone who would reach out to them in such dire need!

It is true I am thinking out of the hat, and who would have thought that such a mishap would take place when no one ever expected; and when things have been already arranged, is it possible to cancel the celebrations, especially of the visit of the Prime Minister and the Home Minister, and hand over the money to the people in need? I would have been happy if the institution had at least kept aside a portion of the money they were to spend on the celebrations for a specific developmental work, that would benefit the less fortunate ones. This was an occasion for the college and school administration to be different from the rest, and show the world how celebrations could be made more meaningful by sharing the joy with others, especially those would find it hard to smile!