Pune: Commercial establishments , housing societies and even individual households are going all out to deck up their premises in patriotic decor ,, fuelling brisk sales of Independence Day paraphernalia . This year, consumers are displaying a heightened consciousness towards eco-friendly and locally-made products. Vendors reported a marked preference for Indian-made items crafted from sustainable materials like cloth, paper, and natural dyes.
“There is high demand for cloth badges this year. People bought them to pin on invitees for events in housing societies or educational institutions. We had bulk orders of 50-100 pieces and more for these badges in different sizes,” said Jayprakash Choudhary, a gift shopowner in Kondhwa.
Vendors selling tricoloured paraphernalia ranging from balloons to lapel pins lined NIBM Road, FC Road, MG Road, and other places. Many hawkers approached vehicles at crossings to sell dashboard accessories such as miniature flags, cut-outs in the shape of the country’s map, and other small-sized tricoloured items. The Independence Day fervour extends to the city’s culinary landscape as well.
Several renowned sweet shops have launched special tricoloured confections which are flying off the shelves. “Our tricoloured barfi, with layers of pista, malai and kesar barfi, is a bestseller during this time every year with customers placing orders a week in advance. Many offices have early celebrations and distribute sweets on August 12-14 as it is a h.