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Potters and shoppers get ready for Avurudu
View(s):With three weeks for the dawn of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, people are thronging popular shopping areas such as Pettah, while traders too are gearing to meet the New Year rush.
Pettah comes alive
While clothes and household items are what the early shoppers look for, clay pot makers are getting
S. Priyantha
ready with their wares that are much in demand during the season.In the village of Ranala close to Kelaniya, S. Priyantha has been engaged in pottery for the past 30 years. He churns out pots that are used for the traditional practice of boiling milk with the dawn of the New Year.
“I have to start the process early as the pots have to be shaped and the clay has to be seasoned before it becomes a finished product,” Priyantha said.
However, he lamented, that the profits gained were minimal when compared with the amount incurred in the manufacturing process. “The sales will increase rapidly in the days to come but we cannot increase the prices in an unreasonable manner even if the demand is high,” he said.
Chintha Liyanage, 42, another pot seller in the area also complained that they make only a marginal profit when compared with other businesses.
Chintha Liyanage
Meanwhile at the world market in Pettah, a favourite haunt of New Year shoppers due to the good bargains, business is already picking up. Similar scenes are visible along other streets in Pettah.
I.L. Fernando, 63, a salesman at a textile shop said New Year shoppers will get good bargains this year as taxes were reduced on many items in the budget and these would be reflected in the prices of goods as well.However, some consumers said they saw no difference in prices compared with previous years. A resident from Kaduwela, Priyanthi said although there were no special price cuts for the New Year season, shopping in pettah was always cheaper compared to other areas.
It’s the season for clay pots. Pix by Amila Gamage