An extended weekend

An extended weekend
DH News Service, Bangalore:
With an extended four-day weekend starting Thursday, people are planning to spend some quality time with their families.


This Deepavali is a double celebration for many people. With an extended four-day weekend starting Thursday, people are planning to spend some quality time with their families. This includes short trips to various places within the State.

With Friday being the only working day, a few companies have declared holiday, while in some cases employees have applied for leave.

Krishnoji Rao, a government employee, has already packed his bags for his home town to celebrate the festival.

The second saturday falling on November 10 has come in handy for him. “Every year, I celebrate Deepavali in my native place. In my place, the festival is celebrated with great pomp and gaiety unlike in Bangalore where it’s restricted only to bursting crackers,” he said.

Nitin S K, an employee in Upkar Associates, will celebrate Deepavali at office on Thursday. “After the office celebration, I will go home and join my family,” he added.

It’s a profit making time for people who are into selling sweets and clothes. They expect a good number of customers till Friday. As a result, most of them are forced to reduce their holiday trip.

Shalini Vernekar, proprietor of Nidhi Boutique, cannot afford to take off on Thursday as she has to finish the orders she has undertaken. “Since it’s a festive season, I have got many orders for stitching clothes. On Thursday, I’ll spend a few hours in the morning at home and rush back to my shop. Later in the evening, I’ll spend some time with my daughter,” she said and added that she will go to Hassan on Saturday.

For Bangaloreans like Preetha Kulkarni, a homemaker, this Deepavali would be spending time at home.

“The celebration is a low-key affair with a very few friends and relatives coming home. We have decided to stay at home,” she said.

DOUBLE BONUS!

It’s a difficult task for IT-related companies to retain their employees on festive seasons and national holidays. With most of their clients being from across the globe, they expect a 24/7 service from the companies. To find a way out, some companies have decided to pay more to their employees to work this Deepavali.
“In case our client requires our services on a festival day, we request our employees to work. And, we also double that particular day’s salary,” said Adarsh Prasad, MD of Consystent Infotech Private Limited.