This Diwali, there is a growing trend among environmentally-conscious Mumbaikars who are flocking to some of the city's renowned markets with a checklist for festive necessities, focusing on eco-friendly and domestically-produced products. Candles, diyas, vibrant rangolis, and an extensive array of lanterns flood the market with various Diwali essentials, with a notable emphasis on products made in India this time.
Kandil Gali, a lane in the western suburb of Mahim known for its lantern shops, comes alive in the run-up to the festival of lights. The lane lined with shops selling a wide range of lanterns of different shapes, sizes, colours and styles makes for a breathtaking image during the festival.
According to shopkeepers, this year, however, lanterns made of cloth, paper and cardboard are in high demand. We sell a wide range of lanterns, made of paper and cloth, as that is what customers want. There is more awareness about the ill effects of plastic and thermocol on the environment so people are going in for eco-friendly lanterns, says Vaibhav, a shopkeeper at lantern lane.
People are also keen on investing in made-in-India products and local creations, shopkeepers say. Customers want to purchase locally-made items and are not interested in China-made products, says Swati, another shopkeeper at the lane.