SURAT: Ahead of Uttarayan, pandemic have taken wind out of kite and manja makers’ sails. For the second consecutive year, their business is in doldrums thanks to soaring prices of raw materials like thread, bamboo and paper leaving even kite enthusiasts flying low.
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On top of it, the night curfew as part of the Covid-19 restrictions too is dampening the festival spirit as the night bazaar for Uttarayan will not take place even this year.
Established kitestring manufacturers and traders from the city have been exporting special varieties of Surti manja to different part of the country and also across the globe. “There is around 30% rise in cotton yarn prices escalating manja costs further. Also the rising number of
Covid
cases and renewed restrictions including night curfew are adding to our worries,” Prakash Sadadiwala, a Manja maker, told TOI.
“Curfew is also impacting orders from other cities as well. We had only restarted our business now for the season and once again Covid situation started worsening,” Sadadiwala added.
Jayesh Mistry’s family has been running the kite and manja business for decades now. “Auction of kites and manja used to take place in the main kite markets of Rander, Bhagal and
Dabgarwad
area, a few nights before the Uttarayan festival. But this year too it will not take place due to curfew,” said Mistry.
Firoz Sheikh, a kite manufacturer said that the kite and manja businessmen are expecting the government to give some relief in curfew timing before the festival. “We are strictly following Covid guidelines like social distancing, use of mask and sanitizer at our shops,” he added.