Roaring business at Mysuru markets on festival eve

Every festival brings cheer to revellers and traders. While revellers make most of the holidays, for traders, it is time for a windfall.

On Wednesday – the eve of Ayudha Puja, traders at wholesale market on MG Road, Devaraja Market on Sayyaji Rao Road, Vani Vilasa Market at Agrahara, Nanjumalige among other places made brisk business. The market on MG Road was teeming with buyers.

Many celebrated ‘Ayudha Puja’ on Wednesday itself as Dashami begins at 8 am on Thursday, according to Hindu calendar. So, pujas have to be completed before that. A majority of the factories, small scale and medium industries, business establishments which will remain closed on Thursday on account of the festival also celebrated it on October 21. Hence, vendors selling flowers, ashgourds and banana stalks were seen doing good business from Tuesday evening itself.

Though the price of vegetables have remained affordable, it seemed a bit high for some, who were seen arguing with the vendors. Carrot and beans was sold at Rs 40 per kg, while garlic was sold at Rs 90 to Rs 120 per kg, depending on the quality. Cucumber was sold at double the rate of four to five pieces offered at Rs 10 earlier.

Likewise banana, ashgourd, flowers and lemon, a must for Ayudha Puja were sold at heavy prices. Elakki bale was sold at Rs 50 to Rs 60 per kg. Ashgourd was sold at Rs 20 per kg. There were also makeshift shops selling puffed rice (puri), ‘karaboondi’, roasted groundnuts, dals to be mixed with it, near the markets.

Popular sweet marts in the city were abuzz with activity, due to good number of orders during the festival. Though the rates differed at different markets, it was not welcomed by buyers who still felt it was expensive.

According to traders, if not today, there may not be much demand with offices and shops remaining closed for Ayudha Puja and Vijayadashami. Hence they want to make a killing during the day.