TIRUCHY: Generations of merchants from Rajasthan and Gujarat who conduct business on Gujili Street in Tiruchy city marked Holi on Friday with music and colour as always. As the festival of colours and the state budget fell on the same day, they had to spare time for both though the younger lot in their communities continued with their vibrant celebrations.
Some merchants started their celebrations at about 7 am on Friday and rushed to their shops to keep a watch on the budget presentation. While the elders kept their eye on smartphones and TV screens, the youngsters were out splashing coloured powders and flinging water balloons.
"We often forget much about the business during the day of Holi. But this time, we had to keep ourselves alert about the major budget announcements. It helps us to plan business strategies. After celebrating with my family in the morning, I went back to watch the budget," said Dinesh Mathur, a resident of Gujili Street.
He belongs to the second generation, and his father, along with his family from Rajasthan, started a stationery business on Gujili Street about 45 years ago. While music and celebrations were in full swing, some businessmen like Tejas Patel who were keeping a watch on various social media groups for budget updates found it hard not to get distracted.
"We are not experts on analysing the budget, but we have to keep an eye on it. We want to know whether it would push more development in Tiruchy and nearby districts. Only then we would get more business. I didn't want to lose focus on budget updates amid celebrations all around.
I thought about requesting the youngsters to reduce the volume of music but later I ignored it and joined the celebrations," said Tejas Patel, a senior citizen and merchant running a wholesale shop for plastic products. The Gujarati has been residing on Gujili Street for the past 48 years.