City’s markets were abuzz with activity, as people made last-minute purchases on Monday, the Ugadi eve. Markets at Besant Road, One Town, Kaleswara Rao Market area, Vastralata and Patamata saw customer rush from the morning itself.
The city’s Rythu Bazaars and flower and vegetable markets were crowded with customers buying essentials for the festival.
The markets were bustling with buyers as demand surged for mango leaves, neem flowers, fruits, sugarcane, and other traditional essentials used in the preparation of the traditional Ugadi ‘pacchadi’, a dish made in the homes of the Telugu people as part of the Ugadi celebrations.
The demand for flowers also increased sharply ahead of the Telugu New Year’s Day. Chrysanthemums, which were sold at ₹200 per kg two days ago, were sold at ₹450 per kg on Monday. Jasmines’ price, which was ₹280 per a day ago has shot up to between ₹600 and ₹800 per kg. The price of roses increased to ₹350 per kg from ₹280 a kg in just two days. Meanwhile, festival essential sugarcane was sold at ₹20 per small piece.
Meanwhile, street vendors on the narrow, busy lanes of the markets sold neem flowers, raw mangoes, tamarind and jaggery, the main ingredients of the Ugadi pachadi.
The price of neem flowers was also high and that of the and raw mangoes shot up by ₹4 to ₹5 per piece by the evening.
Meanwhile, temples and voluntary organisations have lined up a series of programmes to welcome the Telugu New Year. ‘Panchanga sravanam’ is being organized at temples like Kanaka Durga and Uttardi Mutt and colleges such as PB Siddhartha. Political parties are also organising the ‘panchanga sravanam’ at their offices.
