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Clinging to the thrill of crackle & sparkle | Hyderabad News - The Times of India

Hyderabad: Despite the govt's push for eco-friendly celebrations, Hyderabad's festive markets are buzzing with familiar sights and sounds. Green crackers, marketed as cleaner, safer alternatives, are seeing an uptick in sales, but traditional fireworks continue to dominate as customers cling to nostalgia and the thrill of noise and sparkle."At least 60%-70% of my customers ask for the old favourites -- rockets, atom bombs, and chakris," said Ramesh Gupta, a fireworks dealer at Begum Bazar. "People ask about green crackers, but buy the regular ones once they see the difference in sound and sparkle. They say it doesn't feel festive without the noise."Mohan Rao in General Bazar, who has been selling only green crackers for the last five years, noted a changing trend. "Earlier, customers used to buy crackers for a month, but now they only want a few for the Diwali weekend. Maybe, that's why they prefer traditional crackers over green crackers," he said.Most traders are trying to stock up on both traditional and green firecrackers. Pradeep Kumar, a retailer from Secunderabad, said, "Around 60% of our crackers are green crackers. A lot of our customers aren't aware of these, so we have to promote the products, which is hard as they are more expensive and their shelf life is lower." "While a bigger chunk of customers look for traditional crackers, there is a small section who asks for green crackers for environmental reasons," said Bharat Raju, a retailer from Balkampet.Raghu Nath, a long-time firecrackers trader in Secunderabad, said, "We sell only green crackers certified by NEERI. Unfortunately, these are 30%-40% more expensive than the regular ones, which is why people buy fewer. Sky shots are all the rage; people prefer Instagrammable visual crackers over the noisy ones they used to buy."Vasanth Kumar, another retailer from Begum Bazar, agreed that buyer sentiment has changed. "People now buy crackers more to uphold tradition than for the joy of bursting them. This affects how much they're willing to spend. Earlier, sales happened weeks in advance, but now we expect business even on Diwali day -- which is unusual."Customers, too, remain divided in their preferences. Many said their choice of traditional crackers stems from emotion and familiarity, rather than resistance to change. "Crackers are a memory from childhood," said Suresh Kumar, who was shopping with his children at Abids. "When we light flowerpots and chakris, it brings back the feeling of Diwali we grew up with. Green crackers just don't have that excitement," he added.For others, the festive noise is inseparable from celebration. "It's not about pollution -- we burst crackers only for an hour or so. That crackling sound means Diwali. Without it, the festival feels incomplete," said Rajesh Verma from Bowenpally. Several buyers said they were unaware of what makes a firecracker 'green'. "We've heard of green crackers, but we don't know the difference," admitted Niharika Reddy of Banjara Hills. "We just buy what we recognise. The shops say green ones are quieter, but that's not what kids enjoy," she added.Families also cited cost as a factor. "Green crackers are more expensive, and the sparkle fades quickly. If I'm spending, I'd rather buy the ones that last and look brighter," said Deepika Sharma, a resident of Kukatpally. Younger customers, too, echoed similar feelings. "We know about pollution, but Diwali without noise feels dull. We buy less now, but we still want some of the classic ones -- just for that festive thrill," said college student Ritesh Yadav. While awareness about green crackers is clearly growing, traders estimate these still make up only 30% of the sales. For most Hyderabadis, Diwali's joy still lies in the crackle of tradition -- tempered, perhaps, by a touch of green conscience.

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