Friday, 03 November 2023 | PNS | DEHRADUN
With the continuing decline in the sale of earthen diya over the years, the potters and sellers in Dehradun are now a worried lot, wondering about the future of their business. They said that though Deepawali festival is synonymous with traditional earthen diyas, they are now losing out to the designed, decorated diyas and the electric diya lamps available through online platforms.
Diya sellers say in unison that the trend of their diminishing business would continue this Deepawali too. Commenting on the plummeting sale of diya ahead of Deepawali, a diya seller Rajesh Kumar said that the demand for earthen diyas has been waning over the past few years. “This Deepawali too, we will incur losses due to the lack of demand for traditional diyas,” he said. He further said that as good quality raw materials such as clay for crafting diyas are unavailable in the city they have been sourcing readymade diyas from Rajasthan for several years. “In the past, we used to purchase 50 cartons of diyas from Rajasthan but due to the diminishing demand, the number of cartons we order has come down drastically,” he added.
He attributed the declining sale of traditional diyas to the people crazily going after the foreign-made cheap lamps. “If this trend continues-and we are sure it will-we will have to switch to selling what the people demand. This will sadden us, but we are left with no other option,” he said.
Echoing the same view, another Dehradun-based diya seller Gulshan Kumar said that technological advancements have robbed the plain, earthen diyas of their previous charm. “Now, the markets are flooded with their gaudy alternatives and the people are naturally thronging such shops, leaving sellers of clay diyas high and dry. As per our estimate, the diya sale is dipping by 25 per cent on an average. Previously, the sale of diyas would commence a month prior to Deepawali. But now you can hardly find clay diya in the bustling markets of the city where the traders are doing brisk business in Deepawali decorations,” he lamented.
He too said that if this trend persists, they have to shift to sell items whose demand is spiking with time. “With the people turning their back on the clay diyas which were once deemed part and parcel of the Deepawali celebration, the potters who have been making diyas for generations, are now exploring other avenues of income during the season of festivals. And our plight is the same,” he said.
A local of Dehradun Nandni Bhatt while talking to this correspondent made her choice clear. “The electric diya lights are superior in durability compared to mitti diyas. So, naturally, the people are opting for the electric diyas. This may amount to turning away from tradition but we cannot help moving with the present trend,” she added.
