Silver price hike robs sheen of Puja Committees

CUTTACK: The two newest entrants into the elite Chandi Medha (silver backdrop) notwithstanding, Durga Puja this year could have had far more sparkle if not for the skyrocketing prices of the white metal.   The uncontrolled upward surge in the bullion prices, particularly in the last one year has sent targets haywire. Several Puja Committees who had planned to ensure that their Goddess glowed in the splendour of Chandi Medha this year have been forced to go slow or put them on backburner. Bania Sahi, College Square, Mangalabag and Jobra are to name a few.   The Buxi Bazaar Bania Sahi Puja Committee has professed to have  suffered a huge hit in its Chandi Medha plans and has pushed ahead the deadline by a couple of years. The Committee has managed to complete the Singhasan or throne of the deity weighing around one quintal in silver but work on the backdrop shroud is yet to begin. The backdrop has been designed to absorb over three and half quintals. But the price surge has posed the main deterrent.  “When we started procurement of silver to start work in February last year, the price of silver was  Rs. 27,000 per kg. Now its has shot up by over two times and hovering at over Rs. 60,000. In between in April this year, the prices had gone up as high as  Rs. 72,000 per kg. The turbulence has shattered all our calculations. Under normal circumstances we could have completed over two and half quintal of work by now” Treasurer of the Committee Ajit Kumar Sahoo said.  He is joined by the College Square Puja Committee, who has expressed concern over the price rise that has pushed work on the Chandi Medha behind. “We have readied ornaments in silver for the Goddess and other deities to the tune of over 60 kg in weight. But the backdrop plans have suffered on account of shooting of bullion prices”, says secretary Manoranjan Sahoo.  For most of the Mandaps, the process from designing to making, completion and installation of the silver backdrops is long drawn over a period of around three to four years. Silver is bought on the basis of collections by the Committee as well as individual contributions. With prices shooting through the roof, the volume of procurement has suffered.   “We have managed to complete the gold crown for Mahisasura this year. The crown and ornaments of Goddess Durga have been installed earlier. But the plans for silver backdrop have been put on hold for now, mainly due to the price hike. With prevailing trends in mind, we have set a long target of five years for the purpose”, coordinator of Mangalabag Puja Committee Ashwini Moharana said.