MTDC cancels Banganga festivals due to RTI Fears

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It's curtains for Banganga, cultural festivals
as repoted in Times of India, 25 Aug 2008, TNN

Mumbai: The Banganga music festival that draws the cream of Mumbai to the holy tank every November has been closed down for good. The Indian Heritage Society (IHS), which was involved in the erstwhile public-private partnership (PPP) with MTDC, will not seek permission to host the festival.

Last week, the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) had disassociated itself from the five main cultural shows which it organises in Maharashtra, namely Banganga, Elephanta , Ellora, Kalidas and Mumbai festivals. It pulled out of the PPP because it felt its goodwill was being exploited by the joint organisers and sponsors . Throwing them a tough challenge, MTDC had asked the sponsors or the owners of the venues to go ahead and organise the events on their own steam. However, the private parties have declined the offer. "Why should we do so?'' asks Anita Garware, who heads the IHS. "It is not our job to promote tourism.''

A spokesperson from Tata Consultancy Services, which has been sponsoring the Elephanta festival since two years, also declined to do so, saying their role is limited to sponsoring the "MTDC product'' . "Neither are we involved in running the festival, nor do we decide which artistes will perform,'' he says.

Even if it were to make the attempt, the private sector would encounter many procedural difficulties, given that venues like Elephanta, Ellora and Banganga are heritage sites controlled either by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) or the state department of archaeology and museums. In fact, Elephanta and Ellora are designated as world heritage sites.

Jayant Gaikwad, managing director of MTDC, confirms that the state government had changed its policy towards cultural festivals. He says, "Our organisation is meant to provide infrastructure for tourism. We have resolved not to put our weight behind a series of essentially private cultural initiatives.''

Admittedly, MTDC invests a token amount of Rs 5 lakh towards each event. However, its resentment stems from the feeling that private partners dictate terms. "They are merely using us to endorse the festivals by lending our logo and our goodwill . It is not possible for us to extend our hospitality any longer.

After all, it is we who have to answer public queries posed to us under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. People demand to know the amount of money that was collected and spent for each festival, and we are unable to respond because there is no transparency of accounts,'' says Gaikwad.

Officials also complain that they are seldom consulted about the artistes who are chosen to perform at each festival. However, the sponsors claim to observe complete transparency in the deal. "The sponsorship cheques are handed over directly to MTDC,'' says Anita Garware. The IHS has been organising the Banganga Festival in association with two foreign banks. TCS also says it pays the sponsorship money directly to MTDC.

"It is MTDC that determines how the funds are disbursed, although we are particular about the artistes who perform at the event,'' admits Garware. Questioning the wisdom of the move to truncate the partnership, she wonders if the Madhya Pradesh government would ever cancel the Khajuraho festival or Orissa the Konark spectacle.

WHAT THE RULES SAY

ASI superintending archaeologist G Narasimhan, under whose jurisdiction the Elephanta caves fall, says that so far it is MTDC that has been procuring permission for the Elephanta festival from the director general of the ASI. "If a private party wants permission to do likewise, it must remember that there are specific guidelines for organising events at heritage properties. Apart from a refundable deposit, the fee for using regular heritage sites ranges from Rs 25,000-50 ,000. There is a separate fee structure for World Heritage Sites like Ellora and Elephanta.''

It's curtains for Banganga, cultural festivals -Mumbai-Cities-The Times of India

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As reported by Bella Jaisinghani in timesofindia.indiatimes.com on 08 November 2008:
Elephanta and Banganga festivals back on song-Mumbai-Cities-The Times of India

Elephanta and Banganga festivals back on song

MUMBAI: The state government on Thursday revoked its decision to close down the Elephanta and Banganga festivals which are signature events on the state's cultural calendar. However, three others, the Mumbai, Ellora and Kalidas festivals may not be revived in a hurry.

Tourism minister Vijaysinh Mohite-Patil met Anita Garware of the Indian Heritage Society (IHS) and agreed to reinstate the two events which IHS supports and which the city really looks forward to.

Speaking to TOI, minister of state for tourism and cultural affairs Suresh Shetty said, "We are restoring the Banganga and Elephanta festivals because these are established events on the international calendar.
They have cultivated their own brand equity."

For over 16 years, music lovers have been marking dates in January and February when the two cultural events occur. The charm is enhanced because they are held in situ, on the heritage sites. While the rock cut caves of Elephanta have been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, Banganga tank in Walkeshwar has Grade I heritage status and dates back to the 14th Century BC. The underground spring that still flows is believed to have been created when Lord Ram struck an arrow into the earth to quench Sita's thirst.

Down the years, some of the most distinguished names in the classical world have performed at these festivals, including Bhimsen Joshi, Shivkumar Sharma, Hariprasad Chaurasia, Prabha Atre and Zakir Hussain at Banganga and renowned dancers like Alarmel Valli, Ananda Shankar Jayant and Neena Prasad at Elephanta.

Expressing happiness at the government's decision, Anita Garware said, "I wanted these two festivals in particular to be revived so that the cultural heritage of the city is preserved. Neither the sponsors nor I are looking for financial benefit." Banganga, which she organises, will be back on track early next year, although it will be delayed by a few weeks.

In August this year, the main organiser, the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC), had accused private organisers and sponsors of concealing expenditure figures as well as dictating terms, leading to the cancellation of the public-private partnership.

MTDC chairman Jayant Gaikwad said that the sponsors were not even giving them a say in deciding which artistes would perform. "We are unable even to respond to RTI queries because private parties do not furnish a statement of accounts," he had said. Denying the allegations, Garware urged the tourism ministry to reconsider.

Now, Shetty has promised to address the tourism department's concerns. "Lack of transparency in the accounting process is an issue that can be addressed by the government," Shetty said. "We can have a meeting with the sponsors and prepare a set of norms and guidelines to follow under the partnership."

Shetty recently met officials of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), the company which sponsors
Elephanta.

"They have expressed a desire to complete their three-year contract. In fact, they have offered to invest more money this year," the minister said.

A senior representative of MTDC said it was the "unrelenting pressure" by the private parties that had caused the ministry to revoke the closure. "Now that we are being forced to organise the festivals once again, we will ensure that accountability is restored and MTDC is allowed to participate in the decision-making process," the official said.

The minister was noncommittal on the Mumbai, Ellora and Kalidas festivals. "Even if we do organise the Mumbai Festival we will have to rename it since the title has been registered by former organiser Sudhir Sawant," he said.