Aurangabad, Sept 11:
The devotees welcomed Ganpati Bappa on Friday. Now, the citizens have geared up to welcome the Jyeshta and Kanishtha gauri on Sunday. The women had crowded the markets for the purchase of Mahalaxmi mukhavte (masks) and Makhars on Saturday.
Rain could not deter the enthusiasm of the customers. The traders had brought a variety of Makhars for sale. There was a special demand for steel and fibre makhars. The makhars were priced between Rs 1,500 to Rs 4,000. Women had thronged the shops selling decorative items in Bhandibazar, Machli-Khadak, Gulmandi and Aurangpura. Ready made sarees and ornaments for Mahalaxmi were in demand. Decoration is given special importance in Mahalakshmi festival. As a result, decorative items, electric lighting, artificial flowers, toys, fruits and trees were being bought in large numbers for decoration. The shopping for Mahalaxmi masks continued till late in the night.
Emphasis on ready-made items
The preparations for the Mahalaxmi festival begins a month in advance. Married women are invited a month or two in advance for help in the preparations for the festival. For those who lack manpower, ready made items are now available in the market. These include puja material and other necessary items required for the festival. These ready made items have made it easy for the women to complete the preparations in time.