Cloth-based decorative items gain popularity ahead of Ayudha Pooja

Cloth-based decorative items, including garlands, are in demand in the market ahead of Ayudha Pooja, to be celebrated on
October 19, with plastic decorations seeing a decline in popularity.
Garlands, flower garlands, decorative hangings and other pooja accessories are made locally, while the raw materials required for their production are sourced from Chennai, said shopkeepers Dandapani and Udayakumar.
Polyester-mixed cloth is used to make garlands and several other decorative products.
These items can be washed and reused for several years, and their colours do not fade easily, making them a preferred choice among customers, the traders said.
A variety of decorative door hangings featuring images of deities has arrived in the market.
Cardboard sheets printed with pictures of gods are also selling well, particularly among auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers, who use
them to decorate their
vehicles and sheds during the festival.
The prices of decorative items range from ₹50 to ₹650. Traders said the share of Chinese-made products in the market was considerably lower this year compared with previous years.