Shops witness brisk business as people flood markets ahead of Pongal

With Pongal spirit rising, Erode and Salem see increased sales of essentials, higher vegetable prices, and heavy crowds.

With Pongal spirit picking up, people have begun to throng commercial establishments and roadside shops purchasing essentials for the celebrations in Erode and Salem.

Despite the increase in vegetable prices, there was a steady flow of customers at Nethaji Daily Vegetable and Fruit Market and Uzhavar Sandhai on Saturday morning. Traders reported that products like coconut, turmeric, sugarcane, jaggery, ash gourd, vegetables, fruits, rangoli powders, clay pots, and puja items sold quickly throughout the day, and they expect sales to continue for the next two days. “Supply of vegetables has dropped from 950 tonnes a day to less than 700 tonnes. With demand increasing, the price of vegetables has gone up by at least 20%,” said a trader at the wholesale market.

Temporary shops selling sugarcane and turmeric set up at vantage points saw large crowds as a pair of cane was sold between ₹80 and ₹130. Textile shops also witnessed heavy crowds and frequent traffic congestion prevailed on the narrow roads in bazaar areas throughout the day. However, the spirit of Pongal is yet to pick up in rural areas where Mattu Pongal will be celebrated on January 16.

With the TNSTC Erode Region operating 300 special buses from the Corporation’s Central Bus Terminal to handle the festive rush, the frequent movement of buses in the afternoon caused traffic snarls at the terminal. The railway junction was also crowded as most of the trains were jam-packed with commuters boarding unreserved compartments in large numbers.

In Salem, the Uzhavar Sandhai at Suramangalam, Hasthampatti, Dadagapatti and Ammapettai witnessed brisk sales in the morning while roadside shops selling sugarcane, turmeric bunches, banana leaves and other puja items, were busy throughout the day. Farmers said vegetables were sold at reasonable prices and the crowd is expected to be maximum on Sunday and Monday.  Police personnel were posted at important locations and bus stands to monitor the crowd movement and to prevent crime activities.