With Diwali festivities still impending, Delhi residents have thronged to Asia’s largest market, Sadar Bazaar, to fulfil their festival needs. According to shop owners, the festivities have brought about a massive difference in sales.
According to the Federation of Sadar Bazaar Trades Association, this year the market is set to witness bigger crowds than in previous years. To put matters into perspective, in 2023, the footfall was around three million, while in 2022, the association noted around 2.5 million people visiting the market during the festive season.
Thronging with crowds spanning kilometres, Sadar Bazaar is only awaiting record-breaking crowds this time around in the run-up to Diwali. The blanket ban on firecrackers has not stopped people from celebrating the festivities.
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Kaamini Malhotra, a shopper, told Patriot about how the thronging crowds had led her to face a stampede-like situation, causing her to trip and fall onto a concrete slab, injuring her head.
“I was just walking back, trying to figure my way out of the jam-packed roads when the crowd just turned wild and everyone started pushing each other. Eventually, my foot was entwined with another shopper’s, which led me to fall on the concrete slab on the footpath. I just noticed a lot of blood trickling down my face when I got to my feet again,” she said.
However, the increased footfall has also resulted in heightened sales for the shops selling goods for the festive season.
Littered across the market, hawkers selling a wide variety of lights, diyas, candles, and statues are privy to a booming market scene, with them claiming a piece of the action with absolute ease. On the other hand, multiple items have made their maiden entry into the market, such as glass chandeliers with LED lights attached, a hanging Chinese light and sound strip that mimics rockets and crackers, and electrical candles and diyas, among many other such items.
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“We have priced everything modestly. We have wares that are being sold at Rs 200 and things that are being sold at Rs 5,000 as well. This time around, the sales have been much more than we had anticipated,” said Amir, the owner of Chaman Bhai Rakhi and Pichkari Wala.
On regular days, the shop sells election material such as flags of political parties and slogans; however, it is during the festival season that their business truly booms.
“We sell festive wares during all of the major festivals. After Diwali, we will be gearing up for Christmas. Considering the crowds this time around, the sales even then might just be astounding,” he said.
Shopkeepers shared a similar sentiment when selling decorative items for the impending Diwali festivities. Streamers, hanging artificial flower decorations, and “chakras” in a wide array of colours made the streets look exotic, basking in the celebratory spirit.
“We have made massive sales this time around. This is the first time that we have set up shop here, but even then, we have had people thronging to our shop,” said Yash Yadav, the youngest member of the family-run Om Decoration.
On the other hand, Jwala Yadav, the owner of the business, highlighted that the sales had been astounding this time around. “We are facing a new kind of issue this time. We are running out of wares to sell by evening and are having to restock almost daily. This is unprecedented, and I do not know how this has occurred,” he said.
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Praveen Anand, the president of the traders’ association, highlighted that the sales have been marginally better than the previous year. “It’s not a lot, but there has been a marginal increase in sales because of the increased crowds this time around,” he said.
However, he expressed that even though the crowds were better, most of their sales were being diverted towards hawkers.
“I have complained to everyone that I could. I have complained to the police, the government, and whoever else, but there has been no change. Hawkers keep sitting on the footpaths and diverting our sales,” he said.
