The ten-day Navratri festivities including Ramleela, Garba, Dandiya and Dussehra in the country are likely to generate business worth more than Rs 50,000 crore, said traders’ body Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) on Thursday. Festivities in Delhi alone for the next 10 days are expected to see trade of over Rs 8,000 crore. According to CAIT, over 1 lakh festive events celebrating Navratri, Ramleela, Garba, and Dandiya are anticipated to feature different religious, cultural, social, and spiritual programs.
“Over 1,000 Ramleelas are held in Delhi alone, along with hundreds of Durga Puja pandals. Dandiya and Garba, originally celebrated in Gujarat, are now widely organized across the country, including Delhi, with millions of people joining in the festivities,” said Praveen Khandelwal, Secretary General, CAIT.
Khandelwal added that during the festive season, there is a significant increase in demand for traditional clothing such as sarees, lehengas, and kurtas, especially during Navratri and Ramleela. There is also a high demand for puja materials on a large scale while essential items for worship like fruits, flowers, coconuts, lamps, incense sticks, and other puja materials are also in great demand, he said.
Food items, sweets, flowers, decorative items, and tent houses for setting up pandals are other categories that see a surge in demand.
Moreover, the upcoming wedding season during November and December is expected to see Rs 5.9 lakh crore in business. According to CAIT, the wedding season beginning November 12, 2024, is likely to witness around 48 lakh weddings vis-a-vis 35 lakh weddings in 2023 which led to around Rs 4.25 lakh crore business.
“While there were 11 auspicious wedding dates in 2023, this year there are 18, which will further boost the trade,” CAIT said in a statement earlier this week. In Delhi alone, an estimated 4.5 lakh weddings are expected to contribute Rs 1.5 lakh crore in business during the season.