With two weeks remaining for Diwali, the Indian shopkeepers are witnessing a general disdain for Chinese lamps and decorative items amongst the public. Owing to their cheap price, Chinese lamps earlier held a large share of the Indian market. The anti-Chinese sentiment, which has taken a centre stage ever since the border standoff between India and China, has turned out to be a boon for small shopkeepers and the sale of Indian hand-made lamps.
We’ve made lamps that used to come from China earlier, their sale is good. We’re keeping only handmade made in India products. We get orders from across the country & even from abroad. There should be marketing of our products so that more people know about us: Dilip, shopkeeper https://t.co/XTDOFFw9s1 pic.twitter.com/9ywdhqpDUf
— ANI (@ANI) October 31, 2020
When ANI spoke to a shopkeeper selling decorative items ahead of Diwali, he informed that the sale of Made-in-India earthen lamps has skyrocketed. He informed that earlier the lamps would come from China but this time the demand is high for locally-made products. “Chinese items are being ignored by customers. We will definitely be benefitted by it as we are keeping handmade made in India products in our shop,” a shopkeeper stated. Another seller Dilip said that he was getting orders for Indian candles and earthen lamps from abroad as well.
6 lac Diyas to light up Ayodhya, set Guinness world record
The district administration in Ayodhya is gearing up to set a new Guinness world record on the occasion of Diwali. The authorities are planning to light 6 lac Diyas or earthen lamps and beat the record of 4.1 lac Diyas in last year. The lamps would be lit on the banks of river Saryu. In order to undertake the mammoth task, the administration informed that about 8000 university students had been recruited. The estimated 6 lac Diyas would be lit a day prior to Diwali on September 13.
Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan and “Vocal for Local”
PM Modi’s call for Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan in which he asked the citizens of India to become “Vocal for Local” products is playing an essential role in increasing local production of different products and services. Starting from Saawan, there will be a long festival season in India, and several festivals including Rakshabandhan, Navratri, Janmashtmi, Ganesh Chaturthi, Vijay Dashmi, Diwali and many others will be celebrated. In all these festivals, local artists, as well as The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), are working extensively to promote India-made products.
Demand for Chinese Rakhis dropped before Rakshabandhan
Amid the backdrop of the faceoff between China and India in Galwan, the anti-Chinese sentiment among buyers and sellers have started to show its effect as the demand of locally produced Rakhis etc. have increased. In a report, ANI mentioned that buyers are showing interest in local products. Quoting a shopkeeper in Ahmedabad, the news agency said that buyers are willing to pay a higher price for Indian products instead of Chinese.
