Capital on a masquerade: A girl tries out Chinese masks ahead of the festival of colours in Ranchi on Sunday. Picture by Hardeep Singh

What’s Chinese for Holi hai? Or for that matter, rang barse?

You’ll do well to Google them, because this year’s Holi — falling on March 8 — has a Chinese hue in the capital.

Thanks to the Asian dragon winning the price war hands down in a free market, Holi accessory sellers in the capital have stocked up on Made-in-China masks of clowns, toon characters, animals and public figures, glares in varied shapes and sizes as well as colourful wigs.

The Sunday crowd turned up in full force at the makeshift kiosks and big stores to buy China-made Spider-man, Superman, teddy bear and clown masks at Rs 5 each.

“The Holi fever has picked up over this weekend. We have already sold 1,000 Chinese masks. There’s everything here, including Spider-man, which children love,” said Vinita Budhia, a shop owner at Upper Bazar.

“This year, the market is good. It has already picked up since Saturday,” agreed Gautam Sharma, a makeshift kiosk owner at Upper Bazar.

Vinita said that this year’s hot Holi trend would be sporting fancy glares shaped as butterflies or peacocks, priced at Rs 40 each.

Gautam, on his part, said last year’s Holi cashed in on the world cup cricket mania, with Sri Lankan cricketer Lasith Malinga’s blond locks being the inspiration for wigs.

“This year, cricket is out, China is in,” he smiled. “Tastes change every year these days, unlike before.”

“Men and women alike are buying colourful wigs of long hair,” said a Kutchery Chowk kiosk in-charge Rakesh Kumar. “Even men want to sport long artificial hair,” he added.

The wigs come for Rs 250 each, but it is probably an investment dictated as much by style as for saving real tresses from the colour onslaught.

And if you thought water guns to squirt colour was enough, wake up and head for the market to snap up teddy bear and Spiderman water tanks at Rs 200 each. Even branded retail chains such as Reliance and Big Bazar have jumped on the Holi bandwagon with water cannons at Rs 30 and above.

Some customers were seen going for the whole hog — masks, glares and colourful wigs — for a Holi style statement.

“It’s not just our children who love all this, we also do,” said Naresh Kumar, a customer at Kutchery Chowk.

Customer Rita Sinha, browsing through Chinese Holi accessories, added: “The range is mind-boggling. We’ve come to pick up new and hatke stuff for each family member.”

Which made-in-China Holi items have you bought?

Tell ttkhand@abpmail.com