Potters happy as sale of earthen lamps picks up ahead of Karthigai Deepam

DINDIGUL

With just a couple of days away from the festival of lamps – Karthigai Deepam – faces of earthen lamp makers, traders and customers have lit up owing to good sales and festive spirit kicking in.

G. Gajendran, an earthen-lamp maker from Nochiodaipatti near Dindigul said that sales have definitely been better after two years of dullness owing to COVID-19 pandemic. “Apart from the usual 1 inch and 2 inches agal vilakku sold at ₹2 for a pair, we have gone ahead and made a 3-feet tall ‘adukku vilakku’ that can hold 101 lamps for ₹500,” he said.

Other creative and colourful lamps on display were lamps with Gods such as Lakshmi, Vinayagar, Shiva and one with Lord Shiva and his vehicle Nandi (bull) called ‘Pradhosha vilakku,’ which are the most sought after ones.

“Wholesale traders across the State and Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh have picked up a lot of lamps this year. We were in fact racing against time to meet the demand which is a good sign. The painting of lamps, to get an extra edge of display at the market, took the most time,” said Mr. Gajendran.

Meanwhile, P. Irulappan, a small-scale earthen-lamp maker from Vedapatti in Dindigul concurred that sales have picked up this year despite prices of raw materials having gone up a tad.

Gajendran and a few potters want the district administration to come clear on rules for lifting alluvial soil from ‘kanmois’ and other waterbodies. There is no clarity and it is always vague,” they said.

Ushering in the festive spirit, roadside shops have sprung up near flower and vegetable markets, on Main Road, near Kamarajar Bus Stand, in R.M. Colony and Nagal Nagar, which are set up by seasonal traders making the most out of the festive season. Grocery stores also have on display small batches of earthen lamps catering to eager customers.