Blasts fail to affect handi sales in city

Handi sellers in Kumbharwada say they sell around 15-20 handis on an average these days. Some of them said business was normal,and there were several who say it is even better that before.

Mangala Shinde of the Gorakumbhar Matka Bhandar says business is as usual. “People have been coming and buying handis. There has been no change in business. Profit margins have been regular. Bombs are not going to have any effect on people. If they want to show their courage and determination,they will celebrate. We have not seen a reduction in buyers.”

Shinde says they used to sell around 10 handis earlier but in the last few days they have been selling over 25.

Many sellers say business has been picking up in the last few days. “But that is because the festival is approaching. Schoolteachers,members of mandals and people in general are coming to buy them,” says Kamla Kumbhar,who owns a little shanty near Kasba Peth. “We were selling around three to four pots earlier,but the last three days the number went up to 10-12,” she says and predicts,“On the the day of the dahi handi (August 11) the number will reach around 30.”

The only problem sellers are battling is rising cost of producing. “Colours cost more now,as also the decorations that include brocade strings,plastic flowers,and decorative figurines. Thus price of pots too have increased,” says Dilip Shinde of Vijay Art Matki Bhandar.

Shinde says smaller pots cost around Rs 20 while big ones cost Rs 200. “Nevertheless people are buying them. We do not know if police have said something about the festival to be celebrated on a small scale,but we do know people are buying.”

Amol says it takes him around 2 hours to complete a big pot and a small one takes about 20 minutes. “It also depends on how intricate the work is and what kind of colours are used. It is time-consuming but satisfying,” he says gluing brocade on a pot.