White pumpkin that normally sells at Rs 6 per kilogram is being sold at Rs 10
Samanthi is the favorite among all sections of the people as flower varieties arrive at the Koyambedu market for Ayudha Puja festival. (Photo: DC)
Chennai: The Koyambedu market wore a festive look ahead of ‘Ayudha Puja’ celebrations with sales of pooja items at their peak despite high prices. “People have been arriving in large numbers right from the early hours of the day to buy pooja items and fruits. Sales have been good for the last three days even though vendors are selling at a high price,” said potato trader V.R. Soundrarajan who is a member of the market management committee.
White pumpkin that normally sells at Rs 6 per kilogram is being sold at Rs 10. This vegetable, considered auspicious during festive occasions, comes mainly from Tiruvannamalai, Tiruvallur, Vellore and Kanchipuram districts.
“This year over 300 tonnes of white pumpkin and over 200 tonnes of bananas have arrived at the central market for the past three days,” said a fruit trader. There are 350 pooja stalls allotted by the market management committee a week ago that was allowed to operated in front of the flower and fruit market.
‘Semanthi’ flowers that come from Salem and Hosur are being sold at Rs 150 per kg, the average price a week ago was Rs 70 per kilogram. ‘Pori’ (puffed rice) and ‘Sharkara’ (jaggery) , two essential items that find a major space in prayer halls of houses and temples during the occasion, are the products that move the most from the stalls in the market premises.
“Prices are really high today, but we cannot compromise on this auspicious occasion as these flowers are to be submitted for the goddess and in turn the wellbeing of our family,” said K. Varalakshmi, a teacher, who arrived at the market at 7 am to make sure she buys fresh flowers.
“The days that lead to ‘Ayudha pooja’ is one that every trader and customer who arrives here will cherish as compared to the other days because the market premises will wear a look akin to temple surroundings that can fill one with devotion,” said Shafeeq Ahmmed, a vegetable wholesale trader in the market for the past seven years. The pooja vendors will be operating at the market premises until October 25, 2015.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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