The shadow cast by the rape and murder of a junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital has indirectly cast a shadow on pre-Puja shopping. At the ongoing Hasta Shilpo Mela in Aikatan, artisans report a decline in footfall, owing to various factors linked to the tragedy. In fact, they are in quite a dilemma, as while they support the protest marches and condemn the incident, their livelihood depends on sales.

The handicraft fair, organised by the state micro, small, and medium enterprises, and textile departments, is on until September 8 from 2pm to 8.30pm, but despite banners all over the township, visitors are few and far between.

No mood to shop

“Footfall must be at a record low this year,” sighs Bablu Singha, who has come from Midnapore with sling-cum-clutch bags made of shells. “Our stall has been coming to this fair for years, but we’ve never seen such a tepid response. Customers have lost their appetite for celebration or spending on themselves in the wake of the heinous incident at RG Kar. I fear this overall mood will linger till the Pujas and that would be disastrous for business.”

“People are more involved with protesting than shopping at the moment. We’re not in a celebratory mood either, but we have mouths to feed,” says Sanchita Gangopadhyay, who has brought attractively painted glasses to the fair.

Sanchari Dey Bose employs a team of 15 people. “They rely on our work to feed their families. But how can we pay them if the items don’t sell?” asks the craftsperson from Chandannagore. She has brought cute wooden figurines and even idols to Aikatan. “Sometimes, it’s not even about sales. Even if visitors simply admire our work, it encourages us. None of that is happening this year.”

So uneasy is the situation that artisans are even hesitant to advertise their participation at the fair. “If we post on social media, we receive comments like: ‘Aren’t you ashamed of yourselves?’” sighs Mukta Dey, who has laid out innovative accessories and jewellery under the banner of Surachita. “I don’t blame them, but this is our livelihood. This is why we took the risk of traveling to the venue even on the day of the bandh.”

Nightfall blues

Sreetama Mukherjee says the incident has not only dampened the festive spirit but also instilled fear in customers. “Women make up the majority of our customers, and they’re feeling unsafe and want to return home before dark,” says the artisan who has brought folk art jewellery and showpieces. “Salt Lake residents are coming by car, but those using public transport from farther away want to get home before evening, leaving them with little time to shop.”

The artisans weren’t feeling scared leaving the venue after 8.30pm themselves. “For us, it’s just the inconvenience of getting stuck behind a march,” says Sreetama. Mukta lives in Maniktala and takes 20 minutes to reach by auto. “But we have to keep an hour in hand in case we get caught in a march,” she says.

Different ways to protest

Not all residents are against shopping. “I liked a bag today, so I bought it,” said a Sector III resident who has also been joining marches to seek justice for the RG Kar atrocity. “It is not right to protest by depriving others of their livelihood, especially in a period that is the run-up to the worship of a female goddess. Durga Puja is a platform for us to spread awareness about respecting women. Rather, the right way to protest in the current scenario would be to decline the Rs 85,000 puja grant on offer from the government,” said the woman, choosing to remain anonymous as her husband is a state government employee.

An artisan, Rupa Mitra, too discovered that protest can be lodged in different ways. “I brought many kinds of paintings to the fair, particularly those with floral motifs as it’s a universally popular theme. But I had missed the social cue,” said the Tollygunge resident.

“From Day One, my best sellers have been paintings with women-centric themes. Images of women protesting, those of cherishing the girl child, and similar subjects have sold so well that I barely have any left. Artists have a responsibility to spread social messages, and marching is not the only way to protest,” Rupa said.