Team Herald
ponda: Tulsi Vivah (Vodli Diwali) was celebrated across the State on Thursday. However, vendors in the Ponda market were left fuming as they complained that their counterparts from Karnataka came and sold truckloads of marigold flowers and sugarcane in the market.
Ponda vendors claimed that they were left with no business and alleged that their Karnataka counterparts often eat into their business during the festivals.
Anand Vagurmekar, a local vendor in the Ponda market said, “Karnataka vendors are doing brisk business at the market. We have no customers as these vendors bring marigold flowers and sugarcane in the trucks and other vehicles and sell them at every nook and corner of the market. These vendors have been involved in wholesale and retail business as well.”
Another vendor said, earlier, the local vendors were growing sugarcane and marigold flowers in bagayats but their efforts have gone in vain as the Karnataka vendors are now getting them in large quantities in the Ponda market during the festivals.
He said not only during Diwali but also during Ganesh Chaturthi and Laxmi Pooja, the customers require marigold flowers in large quantity. However, since past few years the Karnataka vendors have been bringing those items directly and selling in the Ponda market. To add to this, not only flowers, they are also bringing vegetables in large quantity and selling the same during the festivals, which has affected the business of the local vendors.
It is pertinent to note the marigold flowers and sugarcane are essential for Tulsi Vivah which is celebrated by Goans today. Tusli Vivah is celebrated in every house before commencement of marriage ceremonies in the State. The Tulsi plant is decorated with sugarcane pavilion in Tulsi Vrindavan and as part of ceremony marigold flowers are offered during ceremony as part of Tulsi marriage with Lord Krishna or Vishnu.
