Markets across Trichy came alive with bustling activity on Wednesday as residents prepared for the upcoming Thai Pongal celebrations. Crowds thronged various marketplaces to purchase traditional items essential for the four-day harvest festival.
Festive Shopping in Full Swing
People hurried through markets, gathering everything needed for their Pongal celebrations. Large crowds gathered at popular shopping spots including Gandhi Market, Woraiyur vegetable market, Singarathope, and NSB Road. Shoppers eagerly purchased earthen pots, fresh sugarcane stalks, turmeric bunches, bananas, coconuts, and other materials required for puja rituals.
Sugarcane Sales Show Mixed Trends
Hundreds of vendors set up temporary stalls selling sugarcane throughout the city. These stalls appeared at locations such as Chathiram bus stand, Srirangam, Woraiyur, Cantonment, Bheema Nagar, T V S Tollgate, KK Nagar, Mannarpuram, and Karumandapam.
M Pazhani, a 40-year-old sugarcane seller, observed interesting buying patterns. "Customers preferred purchasing sugarcane as individual pieces rather than in bunches of 10 or 12. Those who opted for bunches usually did so for bigger families or for decorative purposes. Overall, sales were moderate compared to the previous year," he noted.
Pricing showed interesting dynamics throughout the day:
- A bundle of 10 sugarcane pieces cost between Rs450 and Rs500
- Single canes ranged from Rs40 to Rs60 based on their size
- By evening, individual cane prices had risen to Rs80
Government Scheme Impacts Purchasing
The Tamil Nadu government's Pongal gift scheme significantly influenced shopping behavior this year. The scheme provided hampers containing:
- One full sugarcane stick
- One kilogram of raw rice
- One kilogram of sugar
- Rs3,000 in cash assistance
This benefit reached over 2.2 crore rice ration card holders across the state. For many families, this reduced the necessity to make additional purchases.
G Thangam, a 40-year-old housekeeping worker from Pichandavarkoil, explained her family's approach. "We were satisfied with the single sugarcane we got from the ration shop. We only purchased two more for the puja and didn't feel the need to buy extra," she said.
This pattern was particularly noticeable among lower middle-class families, who showed reduced demand for additional sugarcane compared to previous years.
Other Traditional Items in Demand
While sugarcane sales showed moderate trends, other traditional festival items witnessed strong demand. Farmers from surrounding villages in Trichy provided fresh produce, taking advantage of the increased seasonal demand.
Traders reported robust sales, especially during Wednesday evening. Various traditional items showed the following price ranges:
- Turmeric stalks: Approximately Rs50
- Plain clay pots: Rs75 to Rs350
- Coloured clay pots: Rs250 to Rs500
- Clay stoves: Rs150 to Rs450 (depending on size)
The festive atmosphere permeated Trichy's markets as residents prepared to celebrate Thai Pongal with traditional fervor. Despite some changes in purchasing patterns due to government assistance, the spirit of the harvest festival remained strong throughout the city.
