Vadodara: In Dabhoi, indigenous earthen lamps dim in front of Chinese lights on Diwali

Dabhoi Diwali means the festival of victory of light over darkness and the auspicious occasion of welcoming Goddess Lakshmi by lighting a lamp in every house. As per the tradition that has been going on for years, the Prajapati Samaj of Dabhoi has been working hard for months before Diwali to prepare traditional diyas made of pure desi clay. However, in the era of changing technology, the existence of indigenous earthen lamps this time is at stake. Due to the abundance of Chinese lamps, colourful electric lights and modern plastic-ceramic varieties in the market, the sale of traditional earthen lamps of Dabhoi has dropped significantly.

Earlier, during the festival of Diwali, there used to be a huge rush in the markets to buy earthen lamps. But in today's digital and fast era, people are increasingly gravitating towards cheap, bright Chinese lamps, LED lighting and fancy artificial decorations instead of eco-friendly earthen lamps. With the availability of new varieties of lights in the market, the demand for traditional desi lamps has gone up drastically. In the livelihood crisis of the potters, on the one hand, the entire state is facing an economic slowdown, while on the other hand, the families of the Prajapati community of Dabhoi are worried about the non-sale of made earthen lamps. From bringing the clay to making lamps on the wheel, drying and ripening in the field, it has become difficult for the artisans to get even the compensation for their cost. The artisans have suffered financial losses as the goods made by toiling day and night are lying in stock.

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