Rain disappoints roadside vendors selling festive wares

Tribune News Service

Shivani Bhakoo

Ludhiana, November 10

Roadside vendors displaying diyas, candles, hatris, torans (decorative hangings) in different areas of the city, including Ghumar Mandi, BRS Nagar and Model Town, were a disappointed lot as rain proved to be a spoilsport as far as their Diwali earnings was concerned. As rain started right in the morning, roadside vendors had to cover their stalls with tarpaulin to save their products.

Jagat, a 70-year-old vendor near Khalsa College for Women, Ghumar Mandi, said this was the time when he could earn a reasonable amount. “I had some health problems and could not make diyas and had to purchase entire material. But rains dampened my spirits as there was no footfall of customers. When rains stopped for a while, some buyers did turn up but that would hardly serve my purpose,” he said in a disappointed tone.

Like Jagat, other potters too looked disappointed and had to save their material kept on the roadside. Hardly were the buyers seen in markets due to incessant rain and mud all around. Serpentine queues of vehicles were witnessed in the markets and there were traffic jams all over.

Mohini, a homemaker, said she was stuck for an hour in the traffic jam on Rani Jhansi Road and had to take an alternative route to reach Mall Road. “Even on Mall Road, the stretch was blocked and traffic moved at a snail’s pace,” she rued.

Good business for florists

At the same time, it was a day of brisk business for flower shops near Jagraon bridge where right from early morning, buyers made bulk purchases of flowers. A vendor said from Dhanteras to Diwali, there remains a huge demand for flowers, which reach the city on a daily basis from UP and Delhi.

“We are selling flowers in kilograms and for making rangolis, etc, buyers get flowers in bulk quantity. It is the peak season for us and flowers worth lakhs are sold during these three-four days,” said Bhagat, a flower vendor.

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