The Hindu Business Line : My mother, my friend

While some might scoff at the concept of Mother's Day being popularised for commercial reasons, others feel this is the day for expressing your indebtedness to Mom.

From Amitabh Bachchan to Raj Kapoor to Hrithik Roshan. They have all doted on their celluloid mothers and sometimes even shed copious tears to underline the maternal bonding that has swung from the sacred to the banal on the silver screen. Till date, "Mere paas maa hai" remains one of the most quoted dialogues from Hindi films. So much so this year a film magazine honoured Nirupa Roy — the mother of all Bollywood mothers — with a Lifetime Achievement award.

Proclaiming undying love for `Maa' has been the leitmotif of Indian sensitivity. While the initial reaction of the average Indian was to scorn the need to set aside a special day for mothers, many urban families are now accepting the concept. Though not as hyped as Valentine's Day, Mother's Day is steadily turning into another one of those western concepts that are finding mention in the Indian calendar.

Internationally, the phenomenon is almost a century old. The first known Mother's Day took place on the second Sunday on May 9 in Michigan, US in the year 1877. It so happened that the pastor of a Methodist Episcopal Church in Albion town of Michigan lost his son who was a heavy drinker on that day. This incident shook the pastor so much that he could not deliver the sermon for the day. Seeing this, a lady named Juliet Blakely came forward to the pulpit and performed the day's ceremonies. Juliet's sons who were travelling salesmen were so moved by their mother's gesture that they gave up alcohol and returned every year to pay tribute to her. They urged others to honour their mothers on the same date. There are other versions and stories that trace the origins of Mother's Day celebrations. However, the small chapel where it all began is now almost a shrine to motherhood in Michigan. While there may not be any shrines to mark the occasion in India, Mother's Day is assuming importance with every passing year. This year too the stirrings of commerce were all too evident and reflected the mood of the urban Indian. Companies offered novel ways to express love and affection. All for a price, of course.

Says Nikita Anand, former Miss India-Universe, "I love my mom though I didn't feel the need to express it formally to her. But ever since Mother's Day has assumed prominence I make it a point to tell my mother I love her and I like to do something for her, which she would not do for herself. This year, I took her for a complete beauty makeover. It was fun and a good way of mother-daughter bonding."

A day to remember

Amitabh, the Mumbai-based General Manager of the Hallmark Channel, says that relationships are important, especially in the Indian context. The channel, known for its family-oriented movies, celebrated Mother's Day for almost a month. Its Web site held the popular My Mother My Friend photo contest, in which people could send pictures with their mothers and online voting would adjudge the 10 best pictures.

"It was such an inexpensive and novel way to say that you care," says Mumbai designer Dipen Desai who never forgets to call his mom in Nagpur on Mother's Day.

Surprisingly, not many hotels jumped on to the Mother's Day bandwagon. While the metros see roaring business on Valentine's Day, few hotels came up with promos and similar festivals for Mother's day.

Says Akhil Mathur, business development manager of Delhi's Hotel Le Meridien, "We invited people to celebrate Mother's Day last year but the response wasn't too encouraging so we decided to skip it this year."

Though hotels may be lukewarm to the idea, the day is significant for people in the hospitality industry. Says Mithu Basu, Director Communications, at Mumbai's Leela Hotels, "Often, people are so busy with their lives that small gestures towards parents are forgotten. An occasion like Mother's Day reminds us to be grateful to someone who did so much for us so selflessly."

Business on the cards

Gift and greeting card companies have been quick to catch the market trends. This year it was bloom time yet again at the Archies stores as young people came to buy gifts. "Business picked up by 30 per cent this time. Gifts were priced in the range of Rs 50 to Rs 1,000 and the youngsters this year purchased a combination of two or three gifts. So, there were perfumes or Mother's Day mugs and bags to go with the cards," says Ajay Bhalla of Archies outlet in Vasant Vihar, Delhi.

Gifts galore

Not to be left behind, online bookings for flowers, chocolates and gifts hit big time this year. Web sites such as flowerdeliveryindia.com and easyreachindia.com from Kolkata and Chennai were hot sites for Indians who preferred to use the Net to order anything relating to gifts and flowers.

Flowerdeliveryindia.com serves 175 cities in the country and the gifts vary from a bunch of 12 roses at Rs 425 to Ferrero Rocher chocolates for Rs 575 and fruit baskets for Rs 500. Easyreachindia.com will send a bouquet free with a cake worth $ 20. The money could be paid through the Internet and in rupees too.

Gita Kent from Long Island in the US never fails to call her mother in Delhi. Now, she has an option to surprise her with flowers and even a Barbie Doll for just Rs 1,400.

This year Barista and Tanishq too joined hands to celebrate the spirit of Mother's Day. In a contest at select Barista outlets in Delhi and Noida, participants answered questions related to the two brands and the lucky winner got diamond jewellery from Tanishq.

"On Mother's Day people just need an excuse to show their affection and we thought of this concept where they could win jewellery for their moms," says Gaurav Bhuban, regional business manager Tanishq. His partner in the venture Brotin Banerjee, head, marketing and strategy, Barista Coffee Company Ltd, doesn't fail to wish his mother every Mother's Day. "As we are not living in the same town I sometimes try and plan my visit to my parents' around Mother's Day so that we can spend time together on the occasion. Otherwise I send her a gift as a token of my affection for her."

The definition of gifts took exotic forms on this Mother's Day. Vandana Luthra's weight reduction clinics all over country came up with a novel scheme to give mothers a real makeover with a beauty treatment. The marketing ploy seems to have caught the fancy of many daughters and even sons who pampered their mothers with beauty packages.

Others took time out to be with their mothers. Delhi model and TV anchor Geetika Ganju took her mother out to lunch. In Mumbai, popular television star Maanav Govil made the first call of the day to his mother in Vadodra and wished her. "I followed it up with a bouquet with a message "You have nurtured, protected and loved me selflessely... Mama you are more than God to me". Mom was really touched."

Though Ritesh, Bollywood actor and son of former Maharastra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, couldn't take his mother out he wished her. Says he, "My mother has been the pillar of strength of our family. So, every year, this day gives me an opportunity to tell her I love her. For me Mother's Day is more about feelings rather than gifts," he says.

Ritesh may be celebrating Mother's Day for years but it was the first time for Gaurav Chug, a young and dynamic manager with New Delhi Power Ltd (NDPL). He sent a bouquet and a cake to his mother. "On other days, the average Indian youth may be reserved in showing their love for their mothers. But it comes naturally on Mother's Day," he says.

Yet, in a nation where motherhood is deified, and family ties run deep, there is a fair bit of cynicism attached to it all. Says, Sheetal Shetty, director, Hammer Publishers in Mumbai, "This is yet another of those media hyped celebrations. Card and gift shops and related businesses are forever on the lookout for avenues to generate revenue from sentiment. In a Maa-based culture like ours, people are just waiting to be ripped off."

But not many agree with her. Noel, who commutes each day from his home at Hiranandani Gardens to his place of work in Flora Fountain, Mumbai is ecstatic about the day. "We take our mothers for granted. This is the day for expressing our indebtedness to them and there is no harm in making a song and dance about it. If you don't want to spend, you can always draw a card and bake a cake. That'll make moms happier still."

Prasad Deshpande, graphic designer in Delhi whose parents live in Malad in Mumbai's suburban area says, "My parents are old and infirm and are always looking forward to meeting me. So, I make it a point to be with them on Mother's Day. Merely sending them a card is a very superficial way of defining relationships. Life is much more than an e-card, or a bunch of flowers. In love, there are no shortcuts "

However, as long as life continues to keep people tied to making both ends meet, shortcuts for expressing love will continue to grow more exotic... and expensive.

Picture by Shashi Ashiwal

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