Quite a quiet Diwali

Every year, as Diwali is round the corner, boxes of sweets arrive at your doorsteps, often accompanied by invitations to a party. But this year, even as the sweet boxes arrive, strangely, the invites are missing. And people in the city agree, “Yes, it has been rather dull.”

Usually, during Diwali, people are seen flocking to boutiques or malls looking for that perfect outfit. But this year, there’s a certain lack of spirit.

P. Kailash, who has been in the jewellery business for long, says, “This year, jewellery sale has been just average. From a year ago, the counter collection (not including the profits) had seen a 40-50 per cent reduction, but the sales could pick up in a few days.”

But clothing sales seem to be staying strong. “We are new in the business, so I feel, for us, sales have been good. But I have heard friends talk about how their sales were dull this year. Apparently, jewellers have been calling it a ‘Black Diwali’. And that could be because there are hardly any parties or invitations this year. It could also be because of restrictions on hosting card parties,” says Kamini Saraf, entrepreneur.

Kamini Saraf
Manoj Jethwani, director of Mebaz, says that the sales for them have been quite good. “For Diwali, obviously people opt for ethnic wear. So sales have been good. But, if you are talking about Diwali parties, I have been invited, but the number of guests has reduced considerably,” says Manoj.

Manoj Jethwani
Entrepreneur Sashi Nahata, too, feels that it’s because of the restrictions on card parties that it’s all hush-hush. “The excitement is just not there. The strict rules have made sure that people don’t organise big card parties. Instead, people are celebrating with just a few family members. The moment the police sees 10 cars parked outside your house, they will check for card parties. Some people aren’t even calling it a ‘Diwali party’, they are just calling it a birthday party to avoid problems,” she says.

And that seems to be the mantra — to keep the guest list restricted to friends and family. Manisha Kapoor, who is organising a small do at home, says, “I only went to two parties but both of them were mellow when compared to last year. They aren’t grand, instead, they are more about a singing session followed by a quiet dinner.”


 

 

 

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