Sale of shawls, bouquets increases significantly in Nellore district

Nellore: In olden days , shawls and bouquets were used to honour eminent personalities for rendering outstanding services to the society or remarkable acheivements in their respective profession.

Later, this tradition was continued to felicitate government officials on their retirement from service.

Now with the general elections fast approaching, the sale of bouquets and shawls has been rampant as activists hold meetings to felicitate their leaders at different places.

There has been a rise in the sales of shawls at cloth showrooms located at Chinna Bazar and Kapu street here and bouquet sale has picked up at the flower market near Atmakur bus stand.

According to the sources a Kashmiri shawl made of wool procured from Jsmmu & Kashmir and Ludiyana in Punjab costs in the range of Rs 700 to Rs 5,000.

One flower bouquet containing a variety of flowers originally costs Rs 100. But now their cost has gone up and varies between Rs 500 and Rs 700.

According to a trader V Ramachandra, each shop is currently recording sale of 1,000 shawls per day. Similar situation prevails in different constituencies in the district as offices of political parties keep a stock of shawls and bouquets.

Use of Gaja Malas (big garland of flowers) by political activists to felicitate contesting candidates has also become a common practice. The price of these Gaja Malas varies from Rs 18,000 to Rs 20,000.