Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], April 5 : Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call, locals in Hyderabad on Sunday visited potters' shops to buy diyas (earthen lamps).
"During the nationwide lockdown, I opened my shop for the first time. I came to know that Modiji has urged the people to light diyas and hence I thought that people will buy diyas. So I opened the shop today. People are buying diyas today. I thank Modi ji for this initiative as it will help us financially," a diya seller told .
"Earlier Police asked me to shut down the shop during the lockdown. But, today Police did not ask to shut the shop today," she added.
Locals were seen buying the candles and diyas in the city.
"I came here to purchase candles as Modi ji has asked us to light candles at 9 pm in the night," Subham Upadhya, a customer told .
A candle seller said that he has been selling diyas for last two days.
"From the day our Prime Minister Modi has announced the program I had started selling candles from the past two days. I had started so that people can participate and they can light diyas," Pritam, who sold candles, told .
Amid a nationwide COVID-19 lockdown, Prime Minister Modi on Friday appealed to countrymen to light diyas and candles on April 5 at 9 pm for nine minutes to fight the darkness spread by the pandemic.
He asked the people to turn off all the lights in their homes and stand at doors or balconies and light candles or diyas, torches or mobile flashlights for 9 minutes on April 5.
( With inputs from ANI )