Vendors sale an array of wares on a roadside near a puja pandal in Patna on Friday. Picture by Ranjeet Kumar Dey

Patna, Oct. 15: Durga Puja, for many, is the season for shopping.

The shopping mania reaches new heights when the departmental stores in Patna offer discounts during the puja.

The offer varies from 20 per cent to 40 per cent and many people visit the stores with an intention to shop till they drop.

However, the craze among the rural populace, who come from the adjoining areas of Patna to visit the puja pandals, the roadside shops are in great demand. These shops sell various items ranging from clothes, shoes to toys.

Altaf, who had put a stall selling toys near Dakbungalow Road, said: “We have plastic bow and arrow sets, especially for Dussehra. Available in various varieties the price ranges from Rs 100 to 400.”

Altaf added: “The Chinese toys has created a revolution in toy industry. With every kind and type of toy coming from China, even our good ancient dhanush baan (bow and arrow), gada (club) is coming from China nowadays.”

Punam Sinha, who visited Altaf’s shop to buy bow and arrow for his son said: “These toys remind me of my childhood, but they are dangerous for children. The swords, arrows with pointed tips are dangerous for children as they can hurt themselves and others playing with them.”

Altaf said: “The festival season is a good time for business. Since the festivals last for more than a month people come to buy toys and other items for their dear ones.”

However, there are many who are not as lucky as Altaf, Pawan Kumar a resident of Sahebgang in Jharkhand selling chakri and damru in Maurya Lok said: “This season the business is not as good as compared to the previous year. The incessant rain on Thursday spoiled the puja business.”

A piece of chakri and damru cost Rs 2 for manufacturing and is sold for Rs 5.

Pawan said: “We prepare chakri and damru in our residence with paper, bamboo piece and other items and every member of our family is into the business.”

Apart from toys and food items, people coming from adjoining parts of Patna also go for purchasing shoes and clothes.

Wasim Ansari, owner of a shoe shop at Boring Road said: “This puja season we have put up a shoe stall near Sri Krishna Puri Durga Puja samiti.”

Local shoes, which are manufactured at Kanpur are in great demand.

He said: “People who visit the puja pandals, these shoes are not only attractive and cheap but their designs are replicas of branded ones.”

Arvind Kumar Singh, the chairman of Sri Krishnapuri Durga Puja Samiti said: “There are more than 100 to 150 stalls near our puja pandals selling various goods starting from foods to other items such as toys, clothes and shoes.”

Singh said: “We do not charge money from the stall owners.”