CUTTACK: The four-day Durga Puja in Millennium City came to an end with denizens giving a spectacular send-off to the Goddess.With thousands thronging the Devi Gada Ghat on Saturday to watch the colourful processions of the remaining idols to be immersed in the river Kathjodi, it was business time for small-time vendors. In fact, the Ring Road stretch continues to have a fair-like ambiance with traders dealing in traditional household items like brooms, ‘kullah’ and cane baskets. Some of them have come from places like Kendrapara, Salepur and Sakhigopal to sell their wares. And the sales of these household items are soaring. Over 100 such vendors have set up kiosks on the both sides of the Ring Road since Tuesday and would continue to stay here till the Baliyatra, which is a month away. They have brought in baskets and trays, made of cane, bamboo and different kinds of grass, which are washable. “The grass is soaked in water overnight to make it soft and then they are tied up as per the design,” said Amarnath Biswal, a young trader from Salepur. He said the items lasts long which is why they are in demand. Bamboo candle stands, flower vases, hand fans, musical instruments, winnowing trays and miniature items have also been put on display by them. “Bhasani is a good occasion for us to make brisk business as people in lakhs visit this area and make purchases. We usually make around ` 5,000 to ` 8,000 during this period before the Baliyatra begins,” said Tikuna Bhuyan, a local vendor who has been selling bamboo mats here during the immersion ceremony for the last three years. He said the sales during ‘Bhasani’ and Baliyatra is high compared to the normal days. “Brooms are utility items, a must-have in every household. The ones available here are softer and more flexible, apart from being cheaper. I buy between 10 and 15 brooms to last me an entire year,” said Pragyan Mohapatra, a homemaker. Apart from these kiosks, stalls stacked with household ethnic items and food stalls serving mouth-watering dishes drew massive crowd with people indulging in revelling and feasting.
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