A hammock seller by the roadside in Bhubaneswar. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, June 3: Colourful hammocks hanging by city streets have caught the fancy of local residents.

With the Odia festival of swings, Raja, just around the corner, hammock vendors have started camping in the city.

Made of a mesh of fabric wires, hammocks have become popular over the past five years with vendors from Andhra Pradesh and Bihar coming to the state to sell it. Be it for sleeping, swinging or just relaxing, the inexpensive hammocks have found their way into many homes in the city.

“My friends and I first tried selling the product in Bhubaneswar in the summer of 2008.

Since many people prefer a siesta on terraces or porticos during summer evenings, hammocks immediately became popular. But we were surprised to know that there is an Odia festival of swings called Raja celebrated during the transition from summer to monsoon. Most of our customers collected the hammocks since they could be used as makeshift swings,” said Venkat from Vizianagaram in Andhra Pradesh.

Many locals have also started cashing in on the opportunity and by the last week of May, streets are seen dotted with these multihued hammocks sold by vendors the whole day.

“All one needs to do is tie the two ends of the hammock to either door grills or trees on opposite sides and enjoy a nap. Many customers choose to use it as a swing. We wind up our sales by the middle of June,” said Babuli, a local vendor.

The hammocks come for as less as Rs 80 and can be folded and stored when not being used. The popularity of the item is at its peak around Raja, which is about 10 days away.

“They are affordable and easy to store. So why should one spend on huge ‘jhulas’ or traditional swings? Kids and girls at home do not mind using them for swings during the Raja festival,” said Swarna Das, a home-maker.