Covid, flood fear dampens festive spirit in Kolhapur

KOLHAPUR: The city markets are wearing a deserted and dampened look for the second consecutive year during the festive period that begins with the Ganesh festival this weekend.
Last year, the devastating flood had cast a shadow on the festive shopping. Now, the Covid-19 pandemic and restrictions on public movement are leading to subdued celebrations. Moreover, the incessant rainfall over the past week has raised concerns about flooding in the city.
Ajit Kothari, trader and president of the electricals’ association, said, “This year, the business is not even 10%. This is mainly because of the Covid fear and rainfall. There is lesser demand for electrical items. We have orders from other districts too, but restrictions on movement are creating problems.”
While several Ganesh mandals have dropped their plans to celebrate Ganeshotsav, others have decided to keep the celebrations low key. A large number of mandals are planning to immerse the idols after just one-and-half days, rather than hosting the celebrations for the full 10 days.
Many mandals have also cancelled their pre-ordered idols, dealing a severe blow to the artisans and idol makers. They have appealed to their regular customers to continue with their yearly bookings.
The authorities have also appealed to citizens to celebrate the festival in eco-friendly ways. However, there are very few options of eco-friendly decorations available. Satish Munde, a trader from Kasba Bawda, said, “We have decorative items, but they are not eco-friendly. The wooden items such as Ganpati thrones are costly and not preferred by the buyers. However, clay diyas and decorative thalis for puja are in demand.”