NEW DELHI: This Diwali, Sadar Bazar, once Delhi’s bustling wholesale hub for crackers, is witnessing a quieter season. The narrow lanes of Old Delhi’s famous market, usually alive with the loud bang of firecrackers and the sharp smell of burnt sulphur, now shimmer with tinsel, diyas and paper lanterns. Yet, there’s a noticeable absence of the traditional fireworks that once marked the festive season.
Traders in Sadar Bazar are reporting poor sales as most customers now opt for decorative lights, diyas, and candles, rather than the fireworks that once made the area a hotbed of Diwali festivities.
“Sab green hai ab,” says 48-year-old Rajesh Arora, a local trader, pointing to his shelves stacked with boxes of “green” crackers. But for many, the term ‘green’ is unclear. “Green matlab colour green?” a young boy asks his father, confused by the unfamiliar term.
The government has mandated the sale of only green crackers, which are supposed to emit 30% less particulate matter and noise. However, in the narrow lanes of Sadar, where the cracker trade has flourished for decades, the phrase “green crackers” raises more questions than answers. The only products on sale are Pop-Its—small, colourful balls that make a popping sound when thrown to the ground—and a few “bidi patakhas” or cigarette-like sticks that crackle when flung. Traditional fireworks such as rockets, chakris, and anars are noticeably absent from the shelves.
“This is all we can sell without getting raided,” Arora explains. The real crackers, he says, are banned, and the supply has dried up. Strict enforcement at the Delhi borders has made it difficult for traders to import traditional crackers from other states. Instead, some shops have started selling toy crackers that mimic the noise of real fireworks without the smoke and ashes. The entire stretch from Bara Tooti Chowk to the heart of Sadar Bazar now features stalls offering only noise-making toys, with no visual displays. Meanwhile, shops that once piled boxes of phuljharis and Laxmi Bombs to the ceiling now stock cartons of LED lights, scented candles and water candles—tiny plastic jars that float and flicker.
“People still want to celebrate, but they’re adapting to the new rules,” says Naseeruddin, a wholesaler in the light business. The demand for lights is booming, and the market is full of people clicking photos of glittering paper lanterns shaped like stars and moons. But behind the festive energy, traders are grappling with a sharp decline in business.
“Business is down by more than half,” says Bansi Ram, a 22-year veteran of the cracker trade. “Even last year was bad, but now everyone asks for ‘green crackers,’ and no one can explain what exactly makes them green.” The Delhi Police and the Pollution Control Committee have intensified their checks this year. Despite the challenges, Sadar Bazar refuses to look dull. As evening sets in, the market is alive with the glow of fairy lights, and a steady stream of visitors throng the market.
