Susceptibility to pressure – Halloween in India

I write this text while sub consciously thinking of ways to get rid of the hangover I face due to the slightly exuberant consumption last night. Most of the people I know were out partying and I faintly remember being greeted with smiles and ‘Happy Halloween’ merchandise in the wee hours of the morning.

My initial eruptions of resistance emerged during my first encounters with Halloween party celebrations on social networking websites, that claimed to give you the spookiest night in town etc etc.

When the likes of Ashok and Pushpa express their excitement and discuss their state of preparedness for the Halloween celebrations, it makes me wonder about the extent of inroads that American culture (commercial aspect of it) has made into the lives of unsuspecting gullible global consumers.

Under no circumstances and in no way am I opposed to cultures coming together and people learning about different traditions and rituals, however, the ritualistic/meaningful aspect of Halloween has been lost somewhere between the costumes and the exorbitant ‘couple entry charges’ at every club that wants to milk this cash cow.

If Diwali, Christmas and Eid can be celebrated at home, what makes Halloween a tradition that somehow is restricted to clubs and parties!

If the real tradition is studied and compared, Hinduism has something similar in form of Shraadh and Shanichari Amavas ( The Moon-less night on a Saturday). Better than that, the Aghorees of Varanasi can make the Pumpkin ghosts shit their pants any given day.
But who cares, that’s so ‘local’ yaar, Halloween is ‘cool’, that’s the USP.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aghori)
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amavasya)

The Average mundane concerned nationalistic retard would dutifully blame it on the ‘West’ and brush it off as “Indians always try to ape the West”.

What exactly is the WEST that we refer to? I guess Europe is West too, isn’t it?

For beginners, Halloween is a strictly American tradition and is a cultural newbie for all countries in Europe. However, all major European cities witness Halloween parties being organized with relentless pomp.

So here we are, being witnesses to the direct impact of Capitalistic power, the power of commercialization. Its impact so strong that when mixed adequately with the right media channel, it can even make people willfully accept foreign traditions partially ( the commercial party part).

The Germans have started celebrating and embracing Halloween in a big way while the younger generation pays lesser and lesser attention to traditions like Walpurgis Night, which are similar to the American Halloween.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walpurgis_Night)

Everyone loves money and money has no loyalties, pretty true on a global scale when it comes to accepting American traditions with wide arms, all because of the right media mix and the power of money commercialization brings with it.

I felt the pressure too, I had to party since it was Halloween and I didnt wanna be left out while all my freinds went out to get drunk and dance with masks on. So while they had multiple orgasms in their quest for being semi American ( a.k.a COOL), I sipped my beer and enjoyed the night as another one where social pressure overcame sanity.

So what’s next ?

Oh crap, im runnin late, gotta attend that Thanksgiving Dinner at Bunty’s place !