Despite rains in Bengaluru, lamp sales soar ahead of Deepavali

Bengaluru is abuzz with festive spirit as Deepavali nears. Markets are stocked with lamps, lanterns, candles and decorations. Lamp sellers report brisk sales. Bhagyamma, a 35-yr seller, says sales have been good. Gowramma, a seller at Banashankari bus stop, expects sales to pick up by weekend. Hemanth Kumar, a potter, says mould lamps are in high demand. Ramya Shekar, another potter, says online and tele-booking sales are doing well. Handmade lamps are in demand too, with basic lamps sold at ₹2 and grand step lamps at ₹5,000+.

Bengaluru is brimming with the festive spirit as Deepavali approaches, despite cloudy weather. All markets are stocked with a wide array of lamps, lanterns, candles, and various decorative items. Lamp sellers in the city say that the sales have been brisk. 

Bhagyamma, a resident of Nandini Layout who has been setting up stalls during the festive seasons in front of the Ragigudda Temple in J.P. Nagar every year, says that this year has been good. “Starting from Ganesha Chauthurthi, I put up a stall here and live here for a couple of months. I have been doing this for 35 years. From Ganesha idols to Dasara dolls, and now the lamps, sales have been good. We sell pairs of Deepas starting from ₹10 to ₹300, and despite the rains, the sales have been good. By Friday, sales will get better.” 

Gowramma, another seller who has been selling pooja items at the Banashankari bus stop for more than three decades, said sales will get better towards the weekend, “We sell pooja items including lamps throughout the year. But the festive season is when we have good income from an array of lamps. The past two days sales have been average due to the rains. But a day before the festivities begin, we will definitely have good sales,“ she said. 

Hemanth Kumar, a traditional potter from Pottery Town, said demand for mould lamps is higher for wholesale sellers. “Our lamps start from ₹10 a pair to ₹500 and more, depending on designs and colours. Over the last few years, we do not have much demand for handmade lamps as they are simple and do not have designs. It is the same this year too. However, mould lamps have a huge demand, and that is what is being bought in huge quantities by vendors from us.“

Ramya Shekar, another traditional potter, said, “Due to the rains, there has been a slight fall in customers who walk in to our stalls. However, our business is doing well online and through tele-booking. Our basic lamps are sold at a price of ₹2, and the grand step lamps are sold at ₹5,000 and more, depending on design. We have our own designs for terracotta lamps, and we have our own set of niche customers who always demand handmade work as well.”