Sindhu Sena activists with a child dressed as Lord Ram show kites depicting pictures of Ayodhya's Ram Temple before their distribution ahead of the Makar Sankranti, in Bhopal, Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024.
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: Ahead of the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, traders in the national capital are working round the clock to meet the rising demand for saffron flags and posters bearing images of the deity and the temple.
As Ayodhya gears up for grand celebrations on January 22, 40,000 workers and printing presses are working overtime to meet the requests of devotees here, Rakesh Kumar Yadav, president of the Federation of Sadar Bazar Traders Association, told PTI on Saturday.
"When Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to the people to light special diyas -- Shri Ram Jyoti -- in their homes to celebrate the consecration ceremony as as 'Deepawali', we expected a hike in demand for religious items related to the event. So, we started our preparation accordingly," said Yadav.
He also said the markets will be decorated from January 15 evening, and a procession would be taken out in which around 700 businessmen are expected to participate.
As the consecration ceremony approaches, the demand for these saffron flags is increasing from all corners of the city, with event planners and religious institutions placing bulk orders.
Ajay, a shopkeeper from Malviya Nagar, said many religious organisations and temple management authorities are buying these saffron flags in bulk to distribute among the crowd.
"People are not just coming for the flags, caps, or posters, they are also looking for items to decorate their vehicles, such as bikes, cars, and autos," Ajay said.
"Previously, I used to make flags for political parties and the Tricolour. However, we started printing saffron flags due to the high demand, and now have two to three lakh orders," Ajay mentioned.
Another trader Anil, a printing press owner in Karkardooma, said, “Flags, especially those with Lord Ram's name printed on them, are in high demand.”
These include small flags for motorbikes and cars, as well as large flags featuring a picture of the Ayodhya Ram Mandir that are being sought after for temples and houses, he added.
"We knew that people would be excited about the 'Pran Prathistha' but we didn't anticipate this high level of demand in the Delhi markets to celebrate the occasion in the national capital," Anil said.
Printing presses are operating round the clock to meet the public's demand and fulfilling their requests on time is our concern, he added.