On the occasion of the Holi festival, there is excitement in all the markets. Children and adults have thronged the Reshim Oli, Loha Oli, and Itwari markets to buy paint, gulal, water pistols, and masks.
This year's total goods turnover in Nagpur, Vidarbha's main market, is expected to be around Rs 10 crore.
Raju Makhija, a businessman from Itwari, said that people are planning to play Holi this year on a grand scale. The Holi spirit has spread in colonies and mohallas.
Colors, gulal, and knots are the most sold during Holi. Gulal producers started production in January itself and sent the goods for sale in cities, talukas and other parts of the state in February. This year, most Nagpuri gulal will be sold in Vidarbha.
Apart from this, there are dye shops in Reshim Oli. This year the price of paint has doubled.
A good-quality red dye costs Rs 30 per tola (10 grams). Almost ZI crore worth of colour is sold during Holi. The conventional gulal is Rs 110, while the herbal gulal is Rs 130 to 140 per kg. The market for colours and gulal is worth Rs 4 crore.
On Holi, it is customary to gift sweets made of sugar (gathi) to friends and relatives to express gratitude. Around 25 to-go producers in Nagpur produce gathis in advance of Holi. Compared to last year, this year the prices have come down from Rs 100 to Rs 120. An attractive designer gathi weighing 2 to 3 kilogrammes costs Rs 130 to Rs 140 per kg. Nagpuri gathis are sold all over Vidarbha. The gathis are also sold by hand at general provision stores.