Deepavali 2024: Floating diyas and scented candles in demand in Bengaluru

Floral and hanging lamps, colourful painted ones decorated with glitter and mirrors, and large ones to be hung at the entrance of homes are being sold the most this year.

Deepavali is around the corner and market lanes are loaded with diyas for sale. As preparations for the festivities begin, people are in search of the perfect diyas to light up their houses.

From traditional terracotta diyas (hanathe) to floating and electric ones, a variety of options are available in the market. According to Keshavram Patel, a shopkeeper in the central part of the city, floral and hanging diyas, the ones painted in different colours along with glitter and mirrors, and the large ones used for decorating the entrance are being sold the most this year.

Sajad Ahmed, who sells handicrafts and decorative items at his store in K.R. Market, stated that floating and scented diyas are the recent innovations. “People have also bought decorative brass lamps, candle tea light and electric diyas from my store.” He also shared that battery-operated water diyas are quite popular among the customers this year, adding that most of his sales have been online.

Brick-and-mortar sellers suffer

With online shopping of diyas becoming more prominent in recent years owing to increased options and easy delivery, traditional store owners say their businesses have taken a hit. “Earlier, the market used to be vibrant and filled with people. After the lockdown, everything has shifted to online shopping,” said Kailash Raj, a store owner in Vasanthnagar.

He said that while online shopping is easy and cheap, quality remains a concern. “They don’t know anything about the product’s quality. Often, the ordered diyas are broken or of a bad quality. Here, at the shop, even if the price is high they can still bargain and we give them a fair price and good quality diyas.”

Mix of traditional and decorative purchases

The prices of diyas vary according to the style. While terracotta diyas are being sold from anywhere between ₹1 to ₹20 per unit, the decorative ones cost between ₹60 and ₹200 a piece. While customers prefer the traditional diyas for rituals, they are buying the other varieties for decoration.

Prerna Mimani, a customer, said, “While people go for decorative diyas, they still buy the traditional terracota diyas for puja. I usually buy the ones that look beautiful to me.”

Pratibha Bharti, another customer, added: “I have bought the floral diyas and the one rupee terracota diyas for Dhanteras.”

Published - October 27, 2024 01:54 pm IST