Globalization and Indian Festivals

Last week, I celebrated Diwali and performed the Chhat puja with pomp and show then the previous years.

But, festivals have changed now.. 10 years back when I used to be a small kid, we had two types of festivals in India.. one with pan India presence like the Diwali and Holi and other with limited presence like Chhat puja, Lohri and Onam.

That was something ten years back; Liberalization of economy in the early 90's brought big MNC's into the Indian market. Advertisement became the need of the day. Manufacturers started luring the customers with added gifts. Diwali, Holi and Christmas Dhamaka became common marketing ideology.

Competition increased manifold with each festivals and so do the reduction in MRP of products during festi occasions. Then, the companies took the smarter step, sensing the market demand. They globalized the second type of festivals. This brought in narrowing of the line between the two types of Indian festivals.

Lohri, a festival of state of Punjab which was traditionally celebrated with singing Geedha and performing Bhangra is now celebrated with loud remix music across the country.. Now people in Tamil Nadu also celebrate it. The same happened with Chhat puja which was traditionally celebrated across the bank of a river in the Hindi heartland is now celebrated in Mumbai inside a swimming pool.

Even the government sensed the change in thinking and declared a holiday for Onam in the state of UP, far away from the place of it'sactual evolution.

How globalization brought up this change?

Hindi speaking heartland missed the aftermath effects of liberalization of economy. Whereas many new industries and ventures came into existence in other states post liberalization. More and more people were now required to work in this industries and so skilled labor from Hindi heartland migrated to other states in search of jobs. Other state people welcomed them with open heart..  as they brought in prosperity. But, they also took there tradition with them. As the time passed there population in other states rose. They started contesting in local elections and took active part in local activities. And, this is the reason why now Chhat puja is celebrated in Kerala.

Market analyzers sensed this change and started marketing type two festivals on the same pattern as of festivals with pan India presence.

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Part 2 .. First Job Interview..

Friends I'm sorry about the delay.. I wrote on Part 1 of this blog that I'll be posting second part the very next day but believe me I wrote the post the very next day.. the late is only due to no internet access as I was traveling around. Hope you liked mine First Job Interview. Your valuable comments are always needed.

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It was the D day... I finished soon with few formalities remaining and along with three other batch-mates(Prabhi, KP n Prateek) I left mine college for the venue. There are two ways two reach IGC from our college, the shorter one will take 25min roughly and the other 1.5hours but there's a problem with the shorter one..you need your own vehicle for it..no public transport available on that route. So we choose the other one which took us 1.5 hours to reach the IGC. On our way as usual the Mianpur railway crossing was closed. I don't know why this railway crossing is closed for most of the time when there are hardly any train on this route. After pleading for 15 minutes and making the line man sure that we are running out of time, the person in-charge opened the gate. We left our auto in Rangilpur and boarded the bus till Kharar( Mohali). From Kharar we took another bus which took 45minutes to reach IGC.

IGC is located on the foothills of Shivalik mountains. Narrow roads and developed villages(Punjab story) on our way led us to IGC and as soon as I reach IGC mine cell phone ranged.. a message got displayed.. Welcome to Vodafone Himachal Pradesh. No no no... I wasn't in HP physically.. I was in Punjab.. IGC is in SAS Nagar, Mohali. But, Mine Docomo signaled changed to Vodafone and I was set as customer in roaming. We went straight towards the registration center and got our self registered. A point to make here, IGC administration is far more better then that of IETB( mine college). Office bearers there were very much committed towards their work. A simple work.. attachment of form.. which took me 1 hour the previous day was being done in just 5 minutes in IGC. This was the sense of commitment lacking in IETB.

We were told that our turn would probably take another hour so we thought of utilizing it much and went for some sightseeing around the college. IGC is much smaller then mine college but has beautiful architectural design. Also, the scenic Shivalik hills around the college added to the abvience. We met other students from various other colleges and shared our opinion. But one question was universally talked about in each and every conversation I went through.. "What are the questions interviewer is asking"? On every student face a sense of suspense added with curiosity and enthusiasm can be easily seen.

"Is your name Rachit"... a volunteer asked me.
"Yeah.. Rachit Sharma from IET Bhaddal"... I replied.
"Sir, your turn now"

This was the time I was waiting for, mine first job interview.

"Good afternoon sir".. I said while standing at the threshold.
"Good afternoon gentleman.. come in.. have a seat".. the interviewer replied.
He then asked me some general question regarding me, mine hobbies and mine beliefs particularly about mine knowledge of the Kashmir issue. This was a blessing in disguise, this is mine favorite topic.. the history and politics of India. I told him each and every minute detail about the Kashmir issue. Mine interview took almost 8 to 10 minutes after which he shake his hand and said "It was nice talking with you".

Mine interview was over now.. later on through the IGC website I got the info that I wasn't selected for the next round. This for a while got me depressed and upset but then as usual I got it over. Many new things I came to learn about life. Each and every student present there was full of dreams. All were there to out-due the other.. which included there friends too. I was full of mixed feeling. I never thought in mine life that a army major will ever say.. nice talking with.. I will never be able to know the exact reason why I wasn't selected but more then that I learned the law of selling oneself.. which people call Job Interview.

First Job Interview PART 1

T&P cell coordinators for EIE told us, the 3rd year students, that the very next day Indian Army would be conducting a job fair in Indo Global Group of Colleges and would be recruiting students under the University Grant Scheme. I was in two state of mind then, firstly being a senior-most T&P cell coordinator from EIE I wasn't aware of this important notice. And, secondly should I go for the job fair? Well, I got the answer to mine first question very soon after meeting Madam Suman, T&P cell teacher in-charge for EIE. She said that she had sent me a message, which never reached me though, and was waiting for mine reply. In the meantime 2nd year student came to her and she eventually gave them the charge.

The next lecture was the library, a free class, and so along with few of mine classmates I went to Nescafe for some refreshment. I met Atul there and we discussed about the job fair at Indo Global. He was carrying the copy of the actual notification sent by the IGC to our college. After reading the whole notification I came to know that the entry to job fair is only by invitation and 8 colleges of PTU including our's have been invited. We group of friends made up our mind to sit for our first job fair.

The next task was to gather the transport information... that whether our college would be sending there buses to IGC for the job fair or not? As always the answer was in negation. I went to our T&P cell second in command and verified the same but he only gave me the same old reply,"Rachit, I am sorry.. college can't provide students buses for the next day job fair". He asked me to personally meet principal and convey him the student plea. I went to principal office, only to be stopped by his PA. This man has a strange character... he think himself as the principal and not his PA and try to solve all the matter brought for principal guidance. As his behavior is, he jumped into the scene to grab the limelight. He told me that princi is quite busy and would not be able to meet me for an hour. I saw mine watch...it was 3.30pm at that time and after an hour college would have got over and then meeting the princi would not have served any purpose. I told the PA not to talk like an idiot and allow me to meet princi..only to evoke his until now hidden ego. I wasted mine 15 minutes arguing with him but in vain. I drop the idea of asking the college authorities for providing the students the necessary transport facility for the job fair.

Now, mine next task was to get the IA application form attached by student section. Without wasting time I went to mine HOD office. EIE HOD is a true gentleman, he is always there to help his department students. I got the printout of the form from his office. I went straight to the SS only to see crowd of students already present there to get there form attached. A fellow student told me the exact procedure..it was more or less similar to what I have listen for government offices...it was a three step procedure....firstly the form would be signed by the SS dean.. then the signed forms would be sent to princi office for his signature.. after that the photocopy of the forms would be taken and then finally we students would be given back our forms. The whole procedure would be taking around an hour. And I was not having that much of time. I went to a known employee and asked him for his favor. He asked me to wait for 5 minutes and after that gave me mine college file, which I would be needing up for filling the form. He also carried personally mine file along with the form to SS dean and then to princi office for there instant signature.


Part 2 of the post to be published tomorrow

Entrepreneurship Development Cell

The post contains the agenda of the Entrepreneurship Development Cell which is written, edited and drafted by me.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY


Agrata, a Sanskrit word meaning Leadership completely defines the Entrepreneurship Development Cell. Students are our country's future and the Cell intends to nurture them, provide them with opportunities for excellence. It intends to demystify the working of corporate for students to better understand and emulate, to let the budding entrepreneurs get a feel of how the corporate world works. In all it is the cherished dream of the EDC to create corpocrats (corporates + technocrats) out of the present day technocrats.


• VISION

- The Entrepreneurship Development Cell of IET ROPAR will have the objective of creating, fostering and promoting the spirit of entrepreneurship among the students of the college.

- EDC will aim at developing the spirit of entrepreneurship among the students of IET Ropar.

- It wants not only to ignite the minds but also to nurture the ideas of the students.

- EDC is committed to build a strong platform for the budding entrepreneurs.

- The vision is to guide the students to take entrepreneurship as a career, as a path to success, as a journey of wisdom.

• MISSION

- It will invite various eminent entrepreneurs to deliver lectures to educate students about the joys and hardships of entrepreneurship.

- Guest Lectures, Business Plan workshops, Case study workshops, Knowledge Camps, will be conducted throughout the year to involve students in activities that are essential to an entrepreneur.

- EDC will also actively incubate startup ideas by linking the right investors with the right entrepreneurs.

The logo has been designed by Prabhjot Singh, 3rd year student of Information & Technology Engg.,
IET Bhaddal.

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