Dasara shopping brings back buzz in markets

Hyderabad:

Festive fervour gripped the city on Tuesday as denizens thronged marketplaces to purchase various items required for puja on Dasara. Shop owners at major market areas in the city including Begum Bazaar and Monda market reported sales increasing to three times the normal figures.

This year, lanes and bylanes in many localities and even city arterial roads had vendors selling marigolds, the piles of yellow and orange flowers setting the perfect festive mood for the season. The lanes of Begum Bazaar and Monda market were buzzing with activity all through Tuesday.

At least 500 vendors selling flowers and other puja items lined the streets of Monda market on both sides while the narrow lanes of Begum Bazaar were crowded to the brim. Y Rajashekhar, a shop owner at Monda market said, “Sales on the day before Dasara are three times more than the average sales on a regular day. From Monday itself the crowds started increasing and by Tuesday night, around 10,000 people would have visited the market.” Fruit vendors too reported sales going up by no less than 100% on Tuesday. Smaller markets in localities across the city too were busy through the day, allowing denizens to purchase the necessary items from nearby, saving them a trip to the bigger markets.

Textile and readymade garment traders said that sales during this time were double the sales on other days with business this year being at least 20% more than Dasara last year. The festive boom was evident at sweet shops in the city with denizens purchasing sweets in bulk for distribution.  M Nagarjuna of  Almond House said, “Sales have gone up by at least 10% this season and the special festive gift box with an assortment of 12 varieties of sweets is the fastest moving item. Apart from over the counter sales, many companies have also placed bulk orders for distributing them among employees.”

At Dadu’s Mithai Vatika sales have nearly doubled as vendors said that around five tonnes of sweets were already sold in the past few days’ adding that sales were up by 20% when compared to last year. With Ayudha Puja falling on Tuesday, vehicles on streets were decorated with flowers.

On Dasara, denizens worship goddess Durga and spend the day visiting temples and with family while feasting on traditional delicacies.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Home> City> Hyderabad / TNN / October 24th, 2012

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