All sound, no fury. Chinese crackers — that used to be a hit with the city’s firecracker sellers — are missing this year due to weakening of the Indian rupee against the US dollar.
licencing authorities too have not issued licences for selling Chinese fireworks. However, reportedly small retailers are selling the few that they could acquire illegally. These fireworks are supposed to be high pollutants and with the authorities clamping down, retailers are selling Sivakasi-made firecrackers mostly.
Despite inflation and the Delhi Government’s awareness, there is heavy rush to buy crackers in wholesale markets at Sadar Bazar and Chandni Chowk. However, traders are claiming that sluggish financial trends have cast a spell on the sale of crackers and the number of buyers is less this time. At the same time, they are hopeful that in the next two days, customers will return to them. Dealers also claimed that the sales are not as much as it was the previous year. Attributing this to increase in price by around 15 per cent to 25 per cent, dealers claimed that the sale has dipped by at least 40 per cent this year.
Meanwhile, several novel items have been introduced this time like noiseless sky shots. Innovative crackers such as fancy sky shots, which earlier came with only 240 shots are now available with 500 shots as well. Dealers at the Sadar Bazar market claimed that the sky shots are in great demand this Diwali. The sky shots are prized because of their pricey tag ranging between Rs 1,400 to Rs 5,000 per box.
“The sky shots now come with a crackling noise. Sometimes children don’t like the sound of the sky shot so even soundless ones have been introduced this time, which just create glorious patterns in the sky. The new ones don’t emit a lot of smoke,” said Neeraj Kumar, a dealer.
Another novelty in the market is the Rang Bahar that draws multi-coloured stars after being lit. “Two special items that have come up this year are the Kurukshetra and Romantic. One creates a battle sequence in the sky while the latter conjures romantic images in the skies,” said Raman Preet from Singh Pataka shop.