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How much does one spend for Deepavali? Clothes, prayer items, raw material for food/cookies, decorations, firecrackers (legal ones), house cleaning/painting (once every few years?), travelling back to home town, angpow for kids, etc. How much would it cost? RM500? RM1000? RM2000? RM5000? As for me, Deepavali has always been a low-key affair. So, most expenses will originate from Then.

Looking at the article from the NST, one “in-fashion” punjabi suit going for RM200, imagine if you have to buy 2 or 3 for your siblings, girlfriend, wife etc. I guess clothing is the single biggest cost for Deepavali

I was in Klang twice in October (and I think another 2 trips are in order if going by Then’s calculation). The crowd was less. I went on first day of Raya evening and also last Saturday night. Maybe the crowd is waiting for the last few days for better bargains.

The looming financial crisis has not dampened the spirit to shop for sarees and salwar kameez this Deepavali.
While saree shop owners admit that the Deepavali crowd in the Brickfields and Masjid India areas is a bit slow this time, they are still confident the cash registers will start ringing soon enough.

Women were still coming in for the latest Anarkali salwar kameez made popular by actress Aishwariya Rai, said Jothika Collections owner Thilagavathi Supramaniam.

“The Anarkali suit is the in-thing this Deepavali,” she said.

“Even though it is pegged at RM200 and more per suit, there is no shortage of buyers,” she said, adding that they were largely popular among the young crowd.

The Anarkali, designed with an empire line, boasts a traditional Moghul-style that has been revived with a contemporary look made popular via Bollywood and comes in classic colour combos — green with red and pink with grey.

The dinner saree is also a best-seller. Those who can afford to buy such premium products were not really affected by the dampened economy, said Thilagavathi.

“Sales for the lower range of sarees and salwar kameez are slightly down, but we have a steady stream of customers for our exclusive sarees like the dupion silk, brasso, traditional silk and sequined chiffon laser ones which come in vibrant colours.”

The prices for these sarees, range from RM120 to RM900 each.

“When Deepavali comes around, everyone wants to own at least one new outfit.”

So, the community is still spending money while the economy is in turmoil. Yeah, its once a year affair, so I rather not complain much. We hope that there’s enough left to cover for next few months.

So, how to be more prudent this Deepavali? Less clothes? Less food? Less travelling? Smaller open house?

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After a war of words between the has-been and the current boss, Ipoh’s Little India is all set to be bathed in lights today. I guess the traders and community are relieved that their rice bowl and entertainment is not affected. As I mentioned many times, people are less bothered with who does it anymore. MIC, PKR, DAP, PAS, Gerakan - doesn’t matter. There’s no more loyalty to parties. Last time MIC used to organise the Deepavali bazaar (naturally because they were part of the ruling government). Now its Pakatan’s turn. According to the Star, the rental are lower this year, and the same traders are still given chance to take up the trading lots. Part of the money collected from the stalls rental will be given as aid to Sathia Devi, and the balance to build and arch in Little India.

The Deepavali bazaar and celebrations at Little India will begin early with trading starting today and cultural shows on Thursday.

Perak executive councillor A. Sivanesan said 86 stalls had been set up for the celebrations. Local artistes will be performing daily from 7.30pm to 11.30pm in the cultural nights until the last day of the bazaar on Oct 25.

Sivanesan said Ipoh Timor MP Lim Kit Siang would launch the Deepavali celebrations at Little India.

A committee, consisting of state government officers and members of non-governmental organisations and traders’ associations, had decided to rent out the stalls to the same operators who took part in last year’s celebrations.

The stalls would be let out to traders once they have paid a fee of between RM200 and RM450. The fee is based on the location and size of the stall. Last year, the stalls were rented out for between RM500 and RM1,000.

Sivanesan, who visited Little India yesterday, said the committee estimated the stalls would yield a collection of some RM25,000. Part of the proceeds collected would be donated to the family of student S. Sathiah Devi, 23, whose mother and the family’s sole breadwinner died recently in Sitiawan, he added. “The balance will be used to build an arch in Little India,” Sivanesan said, adding that there had been requests from the people for an arch.

If anyone can take some pictures of the bazaar, please share!

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I don’t know what to say. Maybe have to bang my head on the wall!!! Small town like Ipoh also getting bad name no thanks to politicians.

The city’s Little India is shaping out to be a battle scene for two political parties fighting for the right to hold their own grand Deepavali celebration.

Perak executive councillor A. Sivanesan from Pakatan Rakyat is crossing swords with an equally determined Perak MIC chairman Datuk G. Rajoo over the matter.

Sivanesan said the state government rejected Rajoo’s application yesterday to hold the celebration in Little India as the Ipoh Barat MIC had been organising the event over many years “to make profits.” Rajoo is Ipoh Barat chairman.

He added that Pakatan planned to organise the annual event this time with the backing and participation of local hawkers, businessmen and organisations.

“We have received complaints from traders that, in the past, Ipoh Barat MIC never involved the public when organising the celebration.

“This time the community will decide with Pakatan on how the celebration should be done,” he told reporters at the state secretariat yesterday.

Sivanesan, who is also state Health, Environment and Human Resources Committee chairman, accused the MIC of making profit from the festival through sales of trading lots.

“But we (Pakatan) are not doing it to make money. As a veteran politician, Rajoo should understand that the final decision is in the hands of the state executive council,” he said.

A defiant Rajoo, however, said Ipoh Barat MIC would carry on with its preparations for the Deepavali celebration, which they had been doing for the past 16 years, as they were doing it legally.

He said they had received approval in May from the Ipoh City Council for the week-long celebration.

“We paid RM2,770 for the lots and we were issued an official receipt. We’ve even received payment for 83 stalls,” he said, adding that the state government was being unfair and that Sivanesan should not have meddled as the council was an independent body.

Rajoo also denied that MIC made a profit from the event, adding that the party had even subsidised the traders.

issues:
1. profit. MIC says no profit but actually gives subsidy. state says MIC makes profit.
- very easy. MIC can expose how much it charges per lot. By right, they paid RM2770 (total or per day?) to Ipoh city council, and created 83 lots. That means a lot is only RM876.75. So, if the charge is extra RM50 for electricity, water, and miscellaneous expenses, still OK. Of course, they have to show last year’s records as well. Then we can know who is lying.

2. public. state plans to involve community and alleges MIC never did so.
- This is publicity stunt. Obviously Pakatan will get feedback from all quarters, especially the business community and perhaps many “new” Pakatan supporters will try their luck. The community was with MIC previously so can get something, now the community sway towards Pakatan…also hoping to get something.

3. legality. MIC already have approval from city council, but state government rejected it.
- This is critical issue. Is this interference by state government? Who has the legality to approve or reject the application? Can MIC sue the council?

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