Door delivery of idols, puja items keeps festive mood on track

The trend of eco-friendly Lord Vinayagar idols continues this year, with many opting for chemical-free and biodegradable idols, say vendors. This has taken another layer with some customers sharing that they wish to add to the greenery in the city that thrived during the initial few months of the shutdown.

“We have purchased a set that comes with the garland and an idol. The idol is of the seed variety and comes with a pot so that it can be planted after puja. We opted for this to avoid going to the beach for immersion due to safety concerns,” said a resident of Mylapore. Vendors have shifted to the digital model to help accommodate customers, with many opening up online sales and door-to-door delivery through local delivery applications like Dunzo. They share that while demand remains the same, there are accessibility issues for a certain portion of the consumer base, especially for out-of-city clients.

However, the festival comes at the right time for artisans, says Saradha Prakash, director, Giri Trading Agency Private Limited. “We employ several artisans from all across the interior of Tamil Nadu. Some of them are wholly reliant on us for revenue, and thus, this gives them the financial opportunities that were not as present during the initial days of the shutdown. The pandemic has done little to affect the demand this year for us,” she says.