The wet spell has made shopping very difficult for the past couple of days
Rains dampened the Deepavali festival spirit in Nilgiris. (Photo: DC/File)
Ooty: With the rains lashing the hills here since Saturday, the run-up to Deepavali is not so sweet in this hill centre as the rains have already dampened the festive spirit. Traders are crossing their fingers as the continuing rains threaten to play spoilsport with their business.
While everything was fine till last Friday for a perfect and sunny Deepavali this week, there was a drastic change in the weather profile since Saturday with the clouds and heavy rains setting in.
Hill residents rushing through the streets for Deepavali-related purchases were hit. While there is no change in the weather profile, the wet spell has made shopping very difficult for the past couple of days. It is because of this unfriendly weather that the huge rush in the afternoons and evenings for Deepavali shopping is missing this year.
Textile traders waiting for the final round of business this weekend are praying to the rain gods to show mercy, at least for the next couple of days, to ensure that their trade perks up.
While railways cancelled train service between the Coonoor and Mettupalayam sector of the Nilgiri Mountain Railways on Monday for monsoon-related track inspection, those who have put up cracker shops are feeling the pinch and say that the rains have brought down their trade to below average till date.
Rainfall recorded in various centres in Nilgiris on Sunday morning: Coonoor-91 mm, Geddai-51 mm, Upper Bhavani-45mm, Burliar-43 mm, Kundah-40 mm, Ketti-18 mm, Kotagiri-15 mm, Ooty-8 mm.
( Source : dc )
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