Muskmelons, cucumbers on demamd on eve of Ramanavami

As the district is bustling with preparations on the eve of Ramanavami, muskmelons and cucumbers were high contenders among buyers on Friday.

The seasonal fruit and vegetable were previously limited to shops, but this festive season they were a favourite among street vendors too. Towards the evening on Friday, there were numerous pushcarts selling them on the road side. The markets and roads were so crowded that it was impossible for vehicular movement.

While one muskmelon is priced at Rs 25 or Rs 30, a big cucumber costs Rs 5 and a set of three cucumbers were sold at Rs 10. The prize of the Kanakambara flowers (Salmon orange flowers) went up to Rs 400 per kg and there was an added demand for corriander leaves and lemons.

The above fruits, flowers and vegetables are under greater demand during Ramanavami. The festival is marked by a cool sweet drink that is prepared from a mixture of these ingredients. On the day of the festival the drink will be distributed at temples, on the roadsides and in all the main circles of the town, a muskmelon seller Govindappa said.

On the festival day women begin the rituals early in the morning. They apply a coat of cowdung to the front yard of the house, and decorate the ground with eleborate kolums (patterns drawn in white stone dust). Then the family heads to the temple for a special prayer and rituals, said housewife Vijayalakshmi.