India, Sept. 7 -- There was a time when the economics of a neighbourhood Ganeshotsav was simple, with few volunteers going door to door collecting vargani (donation). Someone would contribute Rs.101, another Rs.501, and those who could afford more would give more. The scale of the celebration was largely determined by what the neighbourhood could collectively raise.

That equation has changed dramatically, particularly over the past decade and a half.

Ganeshotsav today is increasingly funded not by ordinary citizens but through politicians, local leaders, businessmen, traders, shopkeepers, advertisers and sponsors. Vargani has not disappeared, but it is no longer central to the finances of many public celebrations.

Last week, prominent ...