A new trend has emerged among Noida RWAs this Diwali. This year, several societies have opted to hire event managers to conceptualise, manage and deliver Diwali melas.
Eldeco Utopia in Sector 93A is one such society.
"Letting a professional event management team handle affairs adds a fresh twist to the Diwali mela," says Anjali Singh, a resident of the society. "Our Diwali melas had started appearing repetitive, with the same few residents putting up stalls over the past few years. Opting for an event management firm was a great idea, as the number of stalls has gone up this year. There were fun-filled activities for children, such as camel rides. The kids are loving it."
Then there are some societies, such as Parsvnath Prestige in Sector 93A, that have chosen to outsource just the catering service.
But are all residents embracing this new trend?
Nandani Srivastava, a resident of Paramount Floraville in Sector 137, says she isn't too happy with the Diwali mela in her society. "There isn’t much to enjoy at all. I also don't like how most stalls are from outside the society," she adds. "It lacks the festive spirit that a traditional Diwali mela has. I prefer the older version, where you know the people at the stalls."
However, this rising trend has come as a boon for private agencies. Pankaj Yadav, who owns Expresschefs, a catering service on wheels, says he has already taken orders from 18 society melas from across Noida. "We have had great response so far," he says. "We have a few more orders on October 27 and October 28 as well."
A majority of societies, though, have not opted for event managers. They believe that outsourcing the society's mela robs it of warmth. "The Diwali mela is a great way to socialise within a society," says Chawan Mehta, a resident and member of the cultural group of Purvanchal Silver City in Sector 93B. "We just need to keep reinventing the mela to keep things interesting. This year we have organised a two-day Diwali mela. We have events such as fashion shows for children and senior citizens, even those above 75! It is one time when the entire society comes together. An outsourced mela can't hold a candle to a traditional mela."
