Traders expect glittering Diwali

Bhopal’s business community is happy and excited due to an estimated Rs 100-crore shopping by Bhopalites during Navratri and Dussehra. According to an estimate, the automobile sector recorded the highest sales of over Rs 40 crore during these 10 days while the real estate segment stood second, with estimated sales of over Rs 30 crore, writes Zafar Alam Khan


Riding on unexpected sales during the Navratri and Dussehra, marketing traders are enthusiastically looking at the coming festival season with great hopes. As contrary to the belief of slowdown and rising dearness the markets in the Madhya Pradesh capital witnessed overwhelming response of consumers during the Navratri and Dussehra shopping; especially the automobile and real estate sectors witnessed unexpected sales.


Business community of Bhopal is happy and excited due to the estimated Rs 100 crore shopping by the Bhopalites during the Navratri and Dussehra. According to an estimate the automobile sector recorded the highest sales of over Rs 40 crore during these ten days while the real estate stood second with an estimated sales of over Rs 30 crore, other beneficiaries include electronics sector with estimated sales of Rs five crore, clothing Rs five crore, computer and mobiles Rs 10 crore, grocery and others Rs 10 crore.


People have shown special interest in the purchasing of bikes and cars and due to the auspicious occasion also invested in properties. Heavy rush was witnessed at almost every automobile showroom on the auspicious occasion of Dussehra as the people have made advance bookings for their choicest vehicles and on the day their dream vehicles were rolled out for their homes from the showrooms.


The exchange offers in the automobile sector enhanced the sales and as per an estimate over 300 cars and more than 1,000 two-wheelers were sold in the state capital in a single day on Dussehra. With these mini trucks, loading autos and other vehicles also registered heavy sales on the occasion and it is expected that a business of over Rs 25 crore was done on this single day.


Heavy investments were also witnessed in real estate where people booked plots and houses of their choice and according to an estimate a business of over Rs 35 crore was done in the property market on this day.


Reports are that the jewellery market also witnessed heavy marketing despite sky rocketing prices of both the precious metals silver and gold.


Akhil Bharatiya Udyog Vyapar Mandal (All India Industry Business Board) general secretary Anupam Agarwal while talking to Viva City said, “The unexpected purchasing done by the people during the Navratri and Dussehra has lifted hopes of the traders community and it is hopeful that the coming Diwali season would also witness huge sales and would beat last years records.”


Agarwal attributed the good rains and better crops this year for the heavy shopping done by the commoners.


Agarwal, also the general secretary of Bhopal Vyapari Mahasangh, further said, “We are expecting rise in the market during the coming festive season. Grocery merchants, jewellers, automobile and real estate sectors are especially enthusiastic and are eagerly looking forward for heavy sales during the Diwali season.”


New Market Traders Association president Ajay Kudesia said, “The market response during the Navratri and Dussehra was unexpected, we never thought of such huge response especially when the masses are affected with dearness.”


Kudesia further said that we are looking forward for huge season as our morale is high due to the heavy shopping done by the commoners during the Navratri and Dussehra. We are hopeful that the festival season would be   boom for the traders’ community, he added.


Actually the expectations of the traders and business community rose due to the heavy shopping spree by the Bhopalites during the nine days of Navratri and on the occasion of Dussehra, when the money literally rained in the markets from early morning to night making the traders busy till late in the night. Automobiles, jewellery, real estate, clothing, electronics, computer and mobile phone sectors registered heavy sales.


The automobile sector recorded most of the sales despite time and again rise in the petrol and diesel prices, according to an estimate the state capital recorded business of over `100 crores during the ten days of Navratri and Dussehra. The markets also did not remained behind in luring the customers from shelling out their pockets by announcing attractive schemes and offers, especially the electronic goods market offered lucrative schemes offer. The companies have announced various schemes on shopping that includes cash discounts and gifts. The customers also get attracted with various schemes and offers.


The business community is also enthusiastic for the coming festival season because state received very good rains due to which farmers had very good crops and the farmers earned handsomely while it is expected that the service class would be getting handsome bonus this festival season. All the markets of the city including Chowk Bazar, New Market, BHEL, Bittan Market, Bairagarh, Kotra and others are crowded with customers.


Though this year the silk and cotton clothes are 35 to 40 per cent expensive than the last year still there is good demand for them. The suiting and shirting has also gone dearer with 10 to 15 per cent still the sales is higher than previous years.


Major markets across the city are abuzz with festive activity with people going around frantically making purchases for decorating houses for Dhanteras and Diwali. “Diwali is an auspicious occasion as the entire family converges to celebrate. Right now I am here in the market for purchasing paint and electrical fringe for decorating my home and next week I will purchase sweets, diyas, and new clothes for my dear ones,” said Poonam Mehta house wife.


Dinesh Jain owner of 'Vimal Sarees' says that rising prices is not becoming obstacle in shopping, people are shopping heavily and like every year the market is fully ready with newest and latest varieties in all colours, designs and ranges.


Anju Dube a housewife shopping in the New Market said, “Dearness would always remain, how we could stop shopping on the occasion of festivals, especially on the occasion of Diwali.”


In any case the markets are flooded with attractive and trendy items, right from local to branded showrooms and are ready to welcome the customers.


Meanwhile, the markets in the state capital are all packed and lanes and circles are illuminated with colorful lights and ribbons. It seems as if a carnival is going on in the city, in which people from all walks of life have come together to enjoy the festivities. Markets and shops are also ready to serve the demand of the consumers. All shops have been cleaned and decorated. Sweet shops have made special preparations to meet the rising demand and outside the shops they have made special stalls displaying sweets and other delicacies.


The most important element of Diwali is lighting of the lamps or diya’s and bursting fire crackers. With time there have been several changes in the type and sizes of diya’s, now-a-days together with traditional oil diya’s, wax  diya’s are also available and are widely used. This time one can see a large number of vendors on the street which have laid down their elaborate shops on the roads selling various kinds of colorful and beautiful diya’s and candles.


Another major attraction during this Diwali season is the firecracker shops which are overloaded with various types and variety of crackers.


For the security and safety of the people local administration has made arrangements for special temporary cracker markets.


Wall hangings, Chinese lights and other decorative items are also very popular this Diwali. There are many shops which offer a large variety of decorative items for household as well as office purpose. Small and beautiful footprints of Goddess Laksmi are also available in abundance in various sizes and attractive designs in the market.


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