In anticipation of the consecration ceremony of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on Monday, various businesses in Delhi are witnessing a significant surge in demand for flowers, saffron danglers, Jai Shri Ram flags, copies of the Ramcharitmanas, and 3D models of the Ram Mandir.
The heightened demand has led to a notable increase in flower prices at Ghazipur Mandi, with some varieties experiencing a surge of over 50% on Sunday. Wholesale prices for roses, typically around Rs 250 per kg on a regular day, spiked to Rs 450-500. Marigolds, usually priced between Rs 50 to 60 per kg, were sold at Rs 250. This price surge is attributed to bulk orders for decorations from temples in Delhi and Ayodhya, driving up prices for various flowers, including lilies, orchids, and lotuses, according to Manoj Kumar, a wholesale flower market vendor.
A particularly popular item in the market is the 3D model of the Ram Mandir. Bijay Pal, the owner of a woodcraft warehouse in Okhla, mentioned that they received over 1 crore orders for 3D Ram Mandir models in just a few days. Due to overwhelming demand, they had to stop taking orders and redirect them to other warehouses. Many other traders producing these 3D models are also facing high market demand.
Ramcharitmanas, the epic depicting the life of Lord Rama, has seen a significant spike in sales this month. Ankur Gupta from RK Gupta general store in Shahdara stated that daily sales, which would typically be two to three copies, have surged to 200 to 300 copies a day due to the consecration ceremony. Gupta attributes this increase to bulk orders placed for distributing copies during the celebrations. Additionally, sales of patkas, danglers, and saffron flags have experienced a substantial rise.
Amit Kumar, the owner of a shop selling puja items outside the Hanuman Mandir in Chandni Chowk, noted a considerable increase in the number of devotees visiting the temple. Massive preparations are underway to accommodate the expected surge in visitors on the day of the consecration. Shops selling Pooja Samagri outside the Mandir have stocked up, anticipating even higher sales on the day of the consecration.
Meanwhile, some sellers of the Tricolour have reported a decline in sales ahead of Republic Day compared to previous years. Javed, who runs a flag-manufacturing company called Almoda Creations, reported a 60% decline in Republic Day business this year. On the contrary, a representative of Sadar Bazar-based Sona Enterprises, selling both the Tricolour and Jai Shri Ram flags, mentioned that orders for the Jai Shri Ram Flags are expected to be 60 to 70% more than those for the Tricolour.
