With the three-day Deepavali festival commencing from today, markets in city have begun to witness a steady rush with people buying sweets, garments, crackers and puja articles for Lakshmi puja.

The prices of flowers have not shot up appreciably, with Chrysanthemums (seventhige) being sold at Rs. 30 and Jasmine at Rs. 60 for a standard length. Fruits were sold in the range of Rs. 60 to Rs. 100 per kg. Prices of vegetables were almost steady with beans going at Rs. 30 a kg and carrots at Rs. 40.

People were keen in buying sweets, garments and crackers. Sweetmeat stalls on Sayyaji Rao Road and in extensions made a good business, so also cracker stalls at J.K. Grounds, D. Devaraja Urs Multi-purpose Complex, Hebbal area and in extensions with people preferring fancy crackers instead of high decibel ones.

This year, there are new crackers which have hit the market. There are crackers that have come from China. Speaking to SOM, Sharath of Jai Sriram Enterprises said crackers from China have been manufactured according to the rules and regulations mentioned in Indian Explosive Act.

The vendors also said that the number of vendors was reducing every year as the rents had gone up drastically. Sharath said that around 40 stalls were being erected this year at Town Hall since the rent was Rs. 5,000, but now since the stalls have been shifted to J.K. Grounds, the rents have gone up to Rs. 27,000.

There 20 stalls at J.K. Grounds, five each at Bandanthamma Temple premises on New Kantharaja Urs Road, Hebbal and Chamundipuram Circle.

Courtesy : Star Of Mysore