Essentials over fancy, spending on meaningful experiences: IV

Deepika Singh, Tannaz Irani and Sayantani Ghosh

Increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the country has led to people, including television actors celebrating Navratri in a low-key manner. This means, staying at home, no gatherings, little fun and no new clothes!

The pandemic has taught me to be more tight-fisted: Deepika Singh

“I have always believed that one doesn’t need to wear new clothes just because it is a festival. I have always been cost effective that way and I make sure that I save and make right investments on festivals instead of splurging. Having said that, being an actor does allow me to have more access to designers who would love to dress me up and I love dressing up myself. However, I am the kind of person who wouldn’t mind wearing my old clothes. I have never been the one to splurge and this pandemic has definitely taught us all to be more tight-fisted and spend where it is required.

I’d want to spend on meaningful experiences rather than clothes: Sayantani Ghosh

“Earlier, I used to enjoy shopping for pujo. But over the few years, things have changed and we buy new clothes every day without waiting for a reason or event. The Coronavirus pandemic has taught me that it is the simple things in life that count. The fact that I am getting to celebrate the festival with my family members matters the most to me and not materialistic things. This pujo, I will wear the unused clothes from my wardrobe rather than splurging on something new. This pandemic has taught us a lesson in terms of uncertainty and anyone can be jobless or face a financial crunch. So it is better to spend money on meaningful things rather than buying anything on impulse. I have decided to not splurge on materials but experiences instead. This year, I am gorging on good food and enjoying the spirit of maa Durga.

This festive season, I’d prefer to wear a new mindset: Tannaz Irani

“If we haven’t learnt enough in the pandemic, then we haven’t learnt anything in life. The entire world has come to a standstill so that mankind can understand that he really needs to take two steps back and look at himself. And what is it that you are going to achieve by wearing new clothes and buying new things that actually lie in the house? This pandemic has really taught me that all these things are so trivial compared to the health of our loved ones and essentials that a family needs to stay alive and healthy. I will not be spending a single rupee on buying a new outfit. The new outfit that I want to wear is the new mindset which is that we should be content with what we have and we don’t need these extremities to complete us. In fact, we should try feeding the poor or buy essentials for needy families and say to ourselves that the meal that they are having is my new outfit! We should try keeping the festival warm and intimate with good food and great conversations.

I will be happy to wear what I have: Jyoti Sharma

"I love Navratri and every year I used to buy new clothes. It used to be so much fun to go out with your friends. Unfortunately, this year due to pandemic I won’t be able to go and enjoy the festival like I used to but at the same time I understand the situation very well and I know it’s important for all of us to take care of each other in this pandemic and enjoy the festival being at home, spending just on the essentials. So I won’t be splurging anything on clothes and will be happily wearing old ones.”

This festive season, I will choose essentials over fancy things: Rrahul Sudhir

“I am never very fond of buying new clothes for special occasions. It’s always my mother who used to do it for me. I think right now the need of the hour is to focus on essentials rather than buying something fancy. And that’s exactly what I’ll be doing this Navratri.”

Will buy for the needy: Karan Patel

“I would rather spend on buying things for the needy; their food and basics are more important than anything else right now. Also, humanly it is only right for us to do so as we are the fortunate ones. Let’s make the lives of the less fortunate ones worthy.”