who prefer earthen lamps to perform puja in a traditional way

But since the sale of electronics goods has picked up, the traditional diyas, considered auspicious, has slumped. The festival of Diwali has undergone many changes over the years. Fancy alternatives to traditional 'diyas' have hampered the livelihood of several potters of the city.There were years when my entire family would get busy for months together to meet the demand of earthen lamps and other traditional earthen items for the festival of lights, but now the demand has decreased substantially as people are opting for designer and fancy lamps and cheap electric strings making a dent on our earnings", said a potter of Balughat locality of the city,led flood light who is in fourth generation of a family in the business of making diyas and clay idols.

There is no doubt the festival has undergone radical changes with advancement in technology replacing items of decoration and illumination too, but show me one house where people do not light either candles or diyas because customs and traditions never change. There are still some who prefer earthen lamps to perform puja in a traditional way," said Prof R K Singh of Allahabad University.Though traditional earthen lamps have not lost their significance entirely, people of Sangam city have found a novel way of adding to the festivity with decorative lamps and lights made in China. "Blame it on technology that has provided affordable alternatives to Indian shoppers in fancy candles and Chinese lights. Not only are these lamps available at cheaper rates in a wide variety, they are a profitable deal for the shopkeepers too", said Tulsidas, a shopkeeper.

According to traders, the main reason for the decline in the demand for earthen lamps during Diwali is the wide variety of Chinese electric lights, which are fancy, attractive and can be bought at reasonable prices in the Indian market.The method of lighting an earthen lamp is time-consuming and the rising prices of oil and ghee used in lighting them could be the reason for preferring artificial lights by most people," said Kiran, a housewife.Besides around one quintal of adulterated and stale led high bay light was seized and desroyed by the raiding party.The samples collected from the spot would be sent to the state laboratory for examination after which necessary action would be taken.