Diyas on sale at a gift store in Ranchi on Monday. Picture by Manik Bose

Ranchi, Oct. 5: With Diwali round the corner, designer diyas are here to light up your homes.

Besides card shops and makeshift stalls, even a few housewives are ready with floating designer candles to lure customers. More than 50 varieties of designer diyas have been brought from Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Delhi in shapes of Swastika, flowers, heart, hand, temple, bandhani, matki, coconuts, terracotta and thalis with traditional designs. These diyas have been decorated with sequins, lace, zardosi and mirror, zari, painted patterns and mirrors. They cost between Rs 20 and Rs 300.

Other major attractions include floating, gel, glitter and perfumed candles, decorative puja items and Ganpati statues. Gel candles in sleek glass containers with artificial fruits and sea motifs have also become a hit with customers.

Diya-seller Kundan Kachyap, from Archies Gallery where wax diyas have replaced the traditional ones, said this year customers can also choose candle stands in varied colours.

“Instead of buying oil and cotton to keep the diyas burning throughout the night, customers are looking forward to wax lamps which range from Rs 10-1,000 and are especially brought from Maharasthra and other states,” he said.

A customer at the showroom, Ritu Sinha, was seen picking up designer diyas. She said that every year she is lucky to get new varieties of diyas. “Earlier the choice was limited as we had to depend on traditional diyas. But now the times have changed as card shops are coming up with innovative ideas,” she added.

One of the city’s well-known candle designers, Kanke Road-resident Toshi, said that her floating candles in varied sizes, shapes and multiple colours are ready.

“All these candles have been designed without using any handwork and can be utilised during Lakshmi puja,” she added. Her exclusive range of designer candles starts from Rs 10 and goes up to Rs 5,000.

Some city shops are also piling up candles in the shapes of flowers and animals.