Drought fails to dim Diwali cheer in Washim and Buldhana markets as shoppers throng stalls

Markets in Washim and Buldhana districts saw large crowds of shoppers on the eve of Lakshmi Puja. The rush that began in the morning peaked by evening. Footfall rose at shops selling clothes, sweets, snacks, puja items, diyas, lanterns and electric lights, leaving traders content.

The festive bustle comes at a time when farmers are going through a difficult period. Erratic rain, drought-like conditions, a fall in soybean and cotton yields and failure of produce to fetch the expected prices have left farmers facing financial distress. The effect is visible on the rural economy as well.

This year there was a long gap in the rain, which hit the soybean yield. Cotton growers are still waiting for the price they want. Farmers are struggling to balance costs against income. For this reason, traders had feared that drought would cast a shadow over Diwali shopping this year. But to celebrate the festival and keep up tradition, people prioritised purchases according to their financial means.

New clothes, home decoration, snacks and puja items hold special importance at Diwali. Markets in major towns, including Washim, Karanja, Risod, Mangrulpir, Manora, Buldhana, Khamgaon, Malkapur, Chikhli and Deulgaon Raja, saw big crowds. Women, men and children were busy shopping at clothes shops. Saris, dress material, readymade garments and attractive children's clothes were popular with buyers.

Colours for making rangoli in front of homes, torans for decoration, flower garlands, lanterns, diyas and electric lights also sold in large quantities. Shops are decked with a variety of decorative items, and the markets have taken on a Diwali look.

Diwali snacks have a special place, so people turned up at shops to buy items such as chivda, chakli, gujiya, laddoos, shakkarpara and anarase. Ready-made snacks are finding buyers alongside home-made ones. Sweet shops have attractively displayed many varieties of sweets. It is a tradition to greet relatives, friends and acquaintances with gifts of sweets, and this purchasing also picked up.

Uncertainty in farming and crop prices have limited the spending capacity of people in rural areas this year. Farmers growing soybean and cotton in particular are facing financial hardship. Many people therefore put off non-essential spending and put essential purchases first. Even so, people showed enthusiasm for buying new clothes, snacks and Diwali decorations for the happiness of their families. The growing crowds have brought some financial relief to small traders, hawkers, retailers and shopkeepers.

Diwali is an important season of the year for small traders. Diya sellers, flower vendors, snack sellers, hawkers and retail shopkeepers depend heavily on Diwali business. There was a fear this time that drought conditions would reduce buying. But the larger crowds in the market on the eve of Lakshmi Puja brought these traders some relief too.

With the number of shoppers rising, roads in the main markets saw heavy movement of vehicles and pedestrians. In some places traffic jammed, and motorists had trouble with parking. People struggled to find space, yet the enthusiasm for shopping stayed high amid the crowds. In the evening, markets lit up with electric lights saw even more activity. While there is an air of financial worry in farmers' homes, the traders have found relief in the bustle that Diwali brought to the markets.