Karthigai Deepam ignites akal lamp demand despite price rise

SALEM: The price of akal lamps (earthen lamps) rose by 10% in Salem region this year due to rising raw material prices and difficulties in sourcing clay, according to pottery workers.

Despite the hike, the sale of akal lamps was up, driven by high demand in view of the Karthigai Deepam festival on Wednesday. Markets in Salem, Namakkal, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri and Erode districts saw brisk business with akal lamps stacked on roadside stands, shops, carts and shopping streets.“There were more than 50 types of lamps for sale, including lotus lamp, tulsi mata lamp, star lamp and coconut lamp, which were sold for Rs 20 to Rs 200 per piece,” said M Viswanathan, a lamp seller in the Vincent area in Salem.However, pottery workers in Denkanikottai, Uddanapalli and Bagalur in Krishnagiri district said their industry was declining day by day. They had produced two lakh earthen lamps for Karthigai Deepam every year and sent them to various districts in Tamil Nadu, but production declined by 50% due to difficulties in extracting clay, rising raw material prices and shortage of workers.“As a result, we purchased printed incandescent lamps manufactured in Cuddalore and Dharmapuri districts and sold them in the state,” said S Vijayalakshmi of Denkanikottai.

Lamp makers in Sathyamangalam in Erode district said continuous rain ahead of the festival affected production of akal lamps, resulting in lower-than-expected availability this year. Hence, the price of akal lamps increased by 10% this year compared to last year. Despite the price increase, the public remained keen to buy the lamps for their homes.M Sundar Kumar, a lamp maker in Sathyamangalam, urged the govt to grant permission to extract clay and support the pottery industry. “Govt should provide loan assistance to buy new moulds for new design lamps,” he said. He added that steps should be taken to sell pottery products, including akal lamps, through khadi and cooperative societies. This would help them secure steady business throughout the year, he added.