Ranchi: Chhath Festivity This year has been hit hard by inflation as important things including vegetables, fruits and pu jobs used in Mahaparv have recorded a price increase of 30% which has made worshipers adopt severe savings measures.
From limiting guests during the celebration to choose the closest Ghats to reduce travel costs, worshipers try every trick in the book to maintain the budget.
TOI spoke with various worshipers and they said that ordinary people had suffered because of high fuel prices and increased essence prices from oil that could be eaten to fruits and vegetables add to their misery.
Akash Gupta, a resident of Lajpat Nagar, said they used to invite more than 200 people to Kheer Bhojan but this year they have decided to maintain a low celebration and will celebrate the family.
“Because we are struggling with the cost and the extended guest list will only worsen the situation.
In general we spend around RS 10,000 in Chhath Puja but this time I think the budget has passed the RS 13,000,” Gupta said.
Divyanshu, a resident of Barutian, said he had celebrated the Puja Chhath in his society for more than six years now because ordinary people contributed to arrangements such as the construction of artificial ponds and emergency tents for worshipers.
But this year people are not advancing.
“I’ll go to Joda Talaab with my family because we can’t afford to spend so much about the current settings,” he said.
Toi also visited the Ranchi Chhath Puja market on the Ranchi Zila School campus to take stock prices used during the Puja Chhath.
From vegetables to bamboo products used in celebrations, prices have risen to an area of around 20-30%.
Fruits such as bananas that cost Rs 50 per dozen last year sold for RS 80 per a dozen while oranges saw Rs 30 up per kg from Rs 60 per kg last year.
Apart from this, a coconut that cost Rs 30 years ago, now costs Rs 60.
While guava is now charged Rs 100 per kg, up from RS 70 years ago, the Apple carton sold for Rs 400 years ago, now the cost of Rs 750 .
Apart from fruits and vegetables, the price of bamboo products such as Soop, Tokri is widely used for Arghya and ground stove, used to set up Prasad, has increased by 40% -50%.
Chhath swelled looking for ways to cut the fees that escaped
