With Diwali around the corner, decorative lights have become 25% costlier this year, with city traders attributing the price rise to a surge in raw material costs, particularly copper wire and plastic.
Shipping expenses have also risen as insurance cover for containers transported through sea routes has been affected by war-like situations, adding to freight costs.
Traders Ishaan and Nilesh Tata said fluctuations in the dollar’s exchange rate had made Chinese lights costlier by pushing up import costs. In the case of Indian-made fairy lights, the sharp rise in copper wire and plastic prices has driven up production costs, they said.
For those looking for budget-friendly options, DJ focus lights for temples start at ₹ 200. Other popular choices include a Thailand-special table lamp, designed like a flower bouquet with a dimmable globe light, which doubles as a showpiece during the day and a lamp at night, priced at ₹ 395. USB-powered dim night lamps with butterfly- and heart-shaped filaments, which can also be used as zero-watt lamps, are available for ₹ 395. Traditional handmade bamboo kandils, fitted with half a metre of wire and a 20-watt LED, are priced at ₹ 200 and offer an ethnic touch. A set of six retro bulb jhalars, featuring decorative jhalars inside the bulbs, costs ₹ 300, while a modak jhalar with 10 colourful modaks is available for ₹ 120. For temple decorations, rotating crystal chakras, designed to be placed behind idols, are priced at ₹ 800 and ₹ 1,600. Made-in-India crystal jhalars are now available in lengths of up to 25 metres, with royal blue and off-white shades in high demand. Neon and acrylic LED boards carrying ‘Shubh Deepawali’ and Ganpati motifs are priced at ₹ 500, while moving diyas are available in a wide price range of ₹ 100 to ₹ 1,200.
“The most talked-about product this year is a 10-foot, app-controlled waterfall curtain light featuring 20 hanging strands, designed for main gates, balconies and terraces. It is waterproof and priced at ₹ 3,000,” Ishaan said. Despite the slowdown in sales, the market is witnessing a high-tech transformation this Diwali. Homes in Lucknow are set to light up with smart, mobile-controlled decorative lights that can be connected to smartphone apps by scanning a QR code. These lights come with multiple features, allowing users to change colours and patterns at the touch of a button, project rangoli designs on walls and even play firecracker sounds. Users can scan a QR code and type names or messages, such as ‘Happy Diwali’, which then scroll across the LEDs. The light also offers effects resembling flowing water and can project fireworks patterns on walls and ceilings.
