Fear of the coronavirus and chronic pollution ruined Saturday’s holiday when hundreds of millions of Indians celebrated the biggest Hindu holiday of the year.
Diwali is destined to be the festival of light, but the pandemic has clouded the future for many in the country of 1.3 billion.
Some defiantly lit traditional firecrackers in Delhi despite a ban imposed due to soaring levels of pollution and markets were full of Christmas shoppers. But the merchants said Covid-19 had scared them out of spending amid the quiet spree.
With 8.7 million cases, India has the second highest coronavirus infection count in the world behind the United States. Around 130,000 people have died since February and Delhi is seeing a further surge with nearly 8,000 new cases a day, which experts have attributed to the Diwali crowds.
Engineer Rahul Randhawa, 27, returned from the United States expecting to see a dimmed Diwali, but found “just the opposite.”
“There are big traffic jams in the street … and there are big crowds in the markets,” he said.
However, the crowds are being selective. Crowds are not allowed at sporting events. Theaters are open but remain empty. Restaurants say they are fighting to get people in.
– Lights off –
Mahinder Kumar, who sells flowers outside the Jhandewala temple, one of Delhi’s oldest, said there are usually long lines for Diwali. “This year is nothing, almost empty.”
“Our business has been hit hard. We have barely sold flowers this year.”
The eight weeks until Diwali can account for 40 percent of the annual business of some merchants and is considered an auspicious time to buy gold.
But the lights were off at the Vineet Garg jewelry and gold store near downtown Connaught Place, even though there was an “open” sign on display.
“It is a waste of electricity to turn on the lights,” he said. “People don’t shop in stores. My business is online. They’re too preoccupied to have fun.”
In Mumbai, markets were packed with shoppers buying lights and food, but traders said sales were no better than on a normal day.
“It’s a boring Diwali,” said Raju Harijan, 35, who runs a grocery store in North Mumbai. “Usually every year, sales would peak now, but this year, even survival has become difficult.”
Bank worker Sonam Choudhary acknowledged that people were “scared” by the coronavirus and “adjusting to the new normal.” He said families would celebrate Diwali “with all precautions.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President-elect Joe Biden, and his deputy Kamala Harris, whose mother was Indian, were among the world leaders who issued Diwali messages.
“May everyone be prosperous and healthy,” Modi told his 63.5 million followers on Twitter.
But the government is struggling to revive an economy that is expected to shrink almost 10 percent this year due to the pandemic crisis. Millions across the country have lost their jobs.
The government this week announced incentives worth more than $ 35 billion to boost employment, consumer demand, agriculture and manufacturing. Since May, it has spent about $ 300 billion on stimulus measures.
But Garg said it wouldn’t make sense to turn on the lights in her jewelry until a coronavirus vaccine is available to everyone. “The new normal is dark for now,” he said.
This story has been published from a news agency feed with no changes to the text.
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