For over a decade, the Elephanta, Banganga, and Ellora festivals have showcased the country’s culture and presented these landmark architectural sites on the stage.
It says agencies like BMC can organise Elephanta, Banganga festivals better
For over a decade, the Elephanta, Banganga, and Ellora festivals have showcased the country’s culture and presented these landmark architectural sites on the national and international stage. However, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC), which had been organising these festivals, has now decided to pull out.
“The festivals will continue to be organised. We are only pulling out of organising them and feel that the government culture department should be looking after it,” said Kiran Kurundkar, joint managing director of MTDC.
He added that the decision was taken after the tourism department felt that they should devote more time on developing tourism while providing infrastructure, organising back-packing events and developing new tourist destinations like beaches and islands.
“These festivals are prominent and do not need anyone’s help. People who were working alongside and the local authorities can take care of them,” Kurundkar said. The MTDC will propose to the state government that the festivals be handed over to local bodies like MMRDA for Elephanta, and BMC for Banganga. “They can work on the festivals in a better manner. We are there to provide any guidance if they need it,” he added.
The decision was taken at the board meeting, of which the Vijay Mohti Patil is the chairperson. “There is an in-principle approval. We have written to the state government for approval,” said Kurundkar.
However, the state tourism minister Suresh Shetty who is part of the board, had said while organising Apli Andheri that more festivals to promote tourism in Mumbai would be planned in future. “Who told you MTDC is not going to organise these festivals?” he said. He later messaged saying he was in Nandurbar where signal was weak and could not talk.
Kurundkar defended MTDC’s move saying the corporation might have done it for the first time to promote the festivals, however, it had not sponsored them and was sure that local authorities would promote them further.
MTDC has been promoting the festivals to primarily boost tourism. Elephanta and Banganga festivals have found corporate sponsorship, too. Tata Consultancy Services, which sponsors Elephanta festival, and has promised to continue doing so for the next two years. Banganga has been sponsored by HSBC and Citibank, which manage the festival and help conceptualise it.
MTDC, along with the local collector and the Aurangabad festival committee, was involved with only the promotion of the Ellora festival, which was started in 1986. The corporation was looking after the management of Elephanta festival, which was started in 1989. MTDC, in association with the Indian Heritage Society, was involved in the organisation of Banganga festival, which was started in 1992.
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