Hyderabad: Holi vendors keep fingers crossed

Begumbazar: The surging cases of Covid-19 and changing lockdown rules hit the Holi colors traders hard. Already coping up with previous year's loss, they rued the complete drop in the sales even this year.

With Holi, just a couple of days away, traders selling coloured powder and water guns are in dilemma as other States imposed ban on public celebration, they fear that the same might happen in Telangana. Many coloured powder sellers who until 2019 carried their business and earned profits, from the past two years stopped sales in fear of losses.

"Only 2 percent of holi items are sold. This is the only time when we earn profit but this year due to the current pandemic there is no sale," said V Vijay, a trader of Monda Market.

Streets of Begum Bazar and Monda Market which witnessed crowds until 2019 now reflect a bleak picture. With only few customers this is the second year the market wore a deserted look due to surge of Covid cases.

The traders complain that just like last year they are not having enough customers. "While, the health practitioners have advised people to avoid public gathering and prediction that Telangana government might issue an advisory against mass gathering is keeping away the revellers, even this year," express the traders at Begum Bazaar.

Bajarang Yadav, a trader at Begum Bazar said, "Only two days left for holi but no customer visited my shop, every year people rush to my shop one week ahead of holi. I am hopeful that in these two days we would get a moderate response."

"All the 40-50 shops selling holi colours in Begum Bazar are deserted as no customers are seen shopping," said Ketan Agarwal, another trader, Begum Bazar.

While the decreasing Covid cases in January and February made the traders stock holi colours in a hope that this year they would have enough sales, said C Dinesh, a trader at Monda market.

Meanwhile, health care professionals expressed worry and advised people to avoid socializing. Dr Gaurav Arora Regional Head, Clinical Services, Dr Agarwals Eye Hospital, Hyderabad, said, "Any event which involves socialisation must be avoided, people must follow restrictions as the State is witnessing a surge in Covid-19 cases." He advised people to carry out celebrations at their houses.

A healthcare consultant, Dr Mohan Kumar, a dermatologist at a private hospital in the city, has also advised people not to take part in any event of Holi which is involves masses.

Explaining about the consequences during the celebrations Dr Manish Gupta said, "There is no doubt that Holi is one of the most popular festivals in the country but the are some dangers associated with the event too, especially during the pandemic time, as using hand sanitizers and maintaining social distancing is mandatory by applying colours to each other maybe the reason for the spread of the virus as no one would be wearing face mask, anyone can be the carrier of virus and it can spread to others rapidly, so I would suggest everyone not to use colours on this festive as there has been increase in Covid-19 cases."