Cartoon crackers fly off shelves this Diwali

Lucknow: Firecrackers are such an integral part of Diwali celebrations that they are almost synonymous with the festival of lights. However, this year, crackers named after Bollywood superstars or politicians are passe. It is crackers named or packaged after cartoon characters that are most sought after as kids pick them the most. Doraemon bomb, Shinchan Chakri, Bombetas, power shots of Pokemon gun and lehsun bomb are most selling crackers.
Doraemon bomb looks like Doraemon and on igniting, the sound it emanates is akin to that of Doraemon's gun, a sound that Nobita loves on the show. Shinchan Chakri produces different colour, with a whistling sound while Pokemon power shots are like small bullets of Pokemon's gun on the show that he uses to alert his friends about an imminent threat. These bullets produce different colours on firing.
Bombetas crackers produce multiple colours with small balloon bursting sounds and Lehsun Bombs produce a more powerful sound on being flung on the floor or wall. "Doraemon and Shinchan are the two most popular cartoon characters among children so they always ask me for these cartoon-based crackers," said Rakesh, a retailer.
"Not only children, youths also ask for Chinese crackers, especially Pokemon power shots, which are the most popular among all Chinese crackers and daily around ten people come to buy these," said Raheem, a retailer of Chinese crackers.
"I know there've been calls for boycott of Chinese products but there's something new on offer every year. Indian-made crackers are costlier too," said Kautilya Chaturvedi, a buyer at Yahiyaganj market.
"I bought Chinese crackers because my younger son loves Doreamon cartoon," said Radhika Rupam who had come to the market only to buy crackers for her children.
"There are Indian cork crackers but they are not safe and could even burst within the gun. Chinese cork cracker shots are safe and have specific fitment points to fit it into barrel of toy gun which is safe. That's why I prefer these shots," said Devashish Kishor, a youth who had come just to buy Chinese shots for Diwali.