Jamshedpur, Oct 11: It’s the time of the year when the fragrance of the ‘shiuli’ flowers blends with the autumn breeze to herald Durga Puja, the annual occasion when goddess Durga is commemorated for conquering the demon king Mahishasura signifying the victory of good over evil.
Moreover ,after six months of lull in business activities owing to a lockdown, the Durga Puja rush in the market has brought hope for traders in Jamshedpur.
The footfall of customers has increased since mid-October, and tradesmen in the state capital are expecting bumper sales that would help them cope with the loss incurred during the nationwide lockdown. The footfall of customers has increased since mid-October, and traders in the city are expecting good sales that would help them cope with the loss incurred during the pandemic lockdown.
“With easing of lockdown, buyers are looking forward to going on a shopping spree. Some are looking for investment in gold to secure their future. People are buying jewellery from an investment perspective, so there is a demand for precious jewellery these days,” said Vishal Sachdeva, a trader analyst.
He went on to add: “Amidst unlocking process, buyers who could not go shopping are indulging in ‘revenge buying’. Going by trends, I feel that consumers are indulging in revenge buying as the lockdown is easing. Moreover, the mindset of consumers has changed due to the current scenario. It has made them more self-aware and this will perhaps make them more conscious about their purchases. They will choose quality over quantity”.
Moreover, with the signing of bonus agreements in several companies, big brands have gone all the way to woo the customers. From consumer electronics to apparels makers almost all the major players have come up with attractive offers.
With about 320 puja pandals adoring, the city has turned into an exotic location where radiant faces of the people speak volumes of the importance of the festival. The artistically carved idols of Goddess Durga are also set to attract the devotees a lot.
Meannwhile, respecting the sentiments of devotees, the district administration has allowed the Jamshedpur Durga Puja Committees to distribute Bhog through home delivery.
The administration has said that the committees can home deliver Bhog but only under strict Covid-19 protocols. The move comes following rising demand from several social and religious seeking approvals for distribution of bhog.
DC Suraj Kumar said that the focus of this year’s Durga Puja continues to be on precautionary norms. He said that the State government has said that no community event or gathering of crowd in or around the pandal should be done for distribution of bhog. The same can be done through home delivery.
