Barpeta's Laden to sparkle this Diwali

Indigenous fireworks taking on Chinese, Sivakasi and Muzaffargar products as variable prices harry customers

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, Nov 9: Spoiling for a fight with imported Chinese and the famed Sivakasi products, the indigenous Barpeta firecracker makers have this time come up with innovative fireworks.

Among the new products are the 'Laden phuljari' and 'chocolate bombs' crafted for the first time by the indigenous makers.

"One box of Laden phuljari is priced between Rs 200-Rs 300. Prompted by demand, we have also made chocolate bombs this time," said one of the makers.

The Barpeta-made firecrackers are being sold at outlets in Guwahati under the aegis of Barpeta Atosbaji Silpa Xamabay Samity.

"This time we are better prepared to give a fight to imported products. We have also crafted the firecrackers in such a way that it causes less pollution. The makers could have come up with better products had they received some assistance from the government," said another maker.

Normal Das, a trader here, said though the Diwali shopping has not peaked, the response from buyers so far has been better than previous years. "People now know more about the Barpeta industry and they are eager to buy the products. We are happy that this time the Kamrup metropolitan administration has allotted places in the city for retailers to market Barpeta products," Das said. The 130-year-old industry has also come up with mammoth flower pots (kol gos) priced up to Rs 2,500 and a variety of color shots starting from Rs 350.

However, the firecrackers from Sivakasi and Muzaffargar are also popular among buyers. In fact, many stores marketing Barpeta products are also keeping fireworks from Sivakasi and Uttar Pradesh.

However, variable pricing of fireworks has also raised eye-brows. There are reports that the same products are being sold at different rates in different stores due to lack of monitoring and regulations.

Meanwhile, the Kamrup metropolitan administration has asked people to report in case they come across stores selling high-decibel Chinese crackers.

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