The cool month of December is quite welcoming in Kerala because the business turns out to be lively and vibrant during the mandala kala pooja. Konkani business man Surendran Pai, awaits for this month too. He runs a religious store amidst many modern shops, in a small town in northern Malabar area, in Kottacherry Town in Kanhangad. For the past 30 years he has been selling, stocked up vritham related religious items aplenty. He was observing the developments in Sabarimala very keenly, as any untoward incidents at Sabarimala will jeopardize his business of religious items completely.
Pai has stored more than 5000 malas for Ayyappas, sandal paste powder, forehead body smearing ashes, agarbathis, aarathi items, camphor, photos and other pooja items.
Now, Pai awaits for the Ayyappa devotees to purchase these items but the business graph has considerably fallen down. Initially the sale record per day rose up to 200 to 300 persons, and now after the issues in Sabarimala the sale record has depleted up to 20 to 30 persons instead. Pai says more than 90% business has affected badly due to the present stand-off between police and Ayyappa devotees in Sabarimala due to the permission of women’s entry after the SC verdict.
Sukumaran Nair, who owns a textile shop too in the adjacent building, is going through the same crisis. He sells Ayyappa dhoti (black mundu) and towels. He too says that business has severely affected the common people so much. Devotees are yet to buy the items. It is only 45 days left for the Makara vilakku and by now our stores are supposed to get sold completely.
Balu, a florist, is in a shock to see the business quantum. Now there is hardly very few to purchase flowers. Earlier Ayyappa Swamis used to purchase all the flowers. Now none seems to place order for flowers as there are no customers.
Above everything has happened in business field at one place. One can imagine the effect of these over other places in the state on all indirect business. It is a very dangerous situation for few families, who are directly dependent on the business during Sabarimala Yatra season.
All these seasonal stocks cannot be maintained and stocked for the next year. Only suggestion what these small time business men made was, the government must buy all these items at the cost and distribute it to temples where it can be used for the purpose of gifting along with prasadam.
Purushotham Hegde is a Car Driver. He has been running his car for hire. His income too has come down drastically as there are almost none who are hiring taxis these days.
Fruits seller too have similar story to tell. Fruits don’t get sold these days. In the night I call up my friends and give the fruits at cost to them to prevent losses.
A silent visit to Ayyappa Temple nearby and meeting with a guru Swami revealed that devotees are scared and tensed to observe vritham this year because of hostile situation in Sabarimala and all are awaiting Centre’s immediate intervention to make the pilgrim smooth with respect to upholding the faith and religious sanctity and security of Sabarimala pilgrimage.
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