NEW DELHI: The festival season in India has begun, with celebrations such as Navratri, Ramleela, Garba, and Dandiya anticipated to create over Rs 50,000 crore in business across the country, as per the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT). Delhi alone is expected to contribute more than Rs 8,000 crore, highlighting a significant increase in consumer activity that will greatly benefit traders.
Praveen Khandelwal, CAIT’s secretary-general and a Member of Parliament, pointed out that this year’s festive shopping will prominently feature Indian-made goods, reflecting a waning interest in Chinese imports. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiatives, ‘Vocal for Local’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat,’ have enhanced the quality of Indian products, encouraging consumers to choose domestically produced items.
Nationwide, over 100,000 events, covering religious, cultural, social, and spiritual themes, will be organized, creating employment for millions. Major celebrations like Navratri, Ramleela, Garba, and Dandiya will lead into further festivities such as Vijayadashami, Durga Visarjan, Diwali, and Chhath Puja.
Delhi is set to host more than 1,000 Ramleelas and numerous Durga Puja pandals, while Garba and Dandiya, traditionally celebrated in Gujarat, will see widespread involvement nationwide, including in the capital.
Khandelwal highlighted a notable increase in demand for traditional attire, puja supplies, sweets, and decorative items during festivals. He noted that there is also a surge in the consumption of sweets like halwa, laddoo, and barfi, alongside heightened requests for fruits and flowers. Decorative items such as diyas, torans, rangoli materials, and lights are in high demand for home and puja pandal adornment. Business for tent houses and decoration companies is expected to rise due to the scale of fairs and festival-related events occurring across the country, attracting millions of participants.
