Three weeks to Durga Puja, no one wants rain.
Many because they cannot go out shopping. Many more because their livelihood takes a beating at a time they hope to make the most sales.
“Ki ar bolbo. Sara bochhor bose thaki ei dingulor jonyo (What is left to say? I wait for this period throughout the year),” said Ashok Biswas, who sells imitation jewellery — trinkets and earrings mainly — near the Gariahat intersection.
He does not have a stall. He stands on the road with a miniature shelf for display.
Till 4.30pm on Saturday, Biswas had sold stuff worth around Rs 1,500. On a typical pre-Puja Saturday, he usually made double of this.
Biswas has stocked up big time for the festival season and is now worried about not being able to sell it. A weekend lost to rain could be difficult to make up.
“I have bought a lot of stuff from Burrabzar (the wholesale hub in central Calcutta), spending Rs 25,000. If the weather does not improve, I don’t know what to do,” said Biswas, a Kasba resident.
The same fear resonated among many retailers with bigger and glitzier stalls.
Bappa Das, who sells ladies’ bags, was playing a game on his cellphone around 4.30pm. “It is a choice between swatting flies and playing games,” he said.
The pavement on which his stall stands looked fairly deserted. Usually, there is not an inch of vacant space on the pavements this time of the year.
Such a rained-out day would make the civic volunteer tasked with managing the swell of people feel relieved. But does she? Metro asked a young uniformed volunteer.
“Less people on the road makes my job easier. But we are so used to seeing a wave of people that today does not seem right,” she said.
Around an hour earlier, the stand for Gariahat-bound autos at the Rashbehari Avenue intersection had around six people. By Gariahat standards, that is no queue at all.
“I have made only two trips since noon. By this time, I should have completed at least four,” said an auto driver.
Many people who were supposed to go out on Saturday were forced to cancel their plans because of the persistent rain since Friday night.
Kaberi Chakraborty, a resident of Kudghat, was one of them. She had planned to take her nine-year-old daughter out for Puja shopping on Saturday afternoon. The shopping would have been followed by dinner.
“The rain played the perfect spoilsport,” said Chakraborty, a schoolteacher.
South City mall, which should be a good escape from the rain, did not have the pre-Puja Saturday buzz either.
The manager of a store of a popular denim brand said business had yet to pick up this season.
South City mall on Saturday rainy afternoon.
“We have stocked up and hired extra staff for the Puja. But the numbers are pretty average till now. Hope things improve on Sunday and
Monday,” said Muzammil Anwar.
An official of the mall said the footfall was around “20 per cent lower” than a usual Saturday.
Like shopping, many Calcuttans have also postponed self-pampering.
Arshad Ali, the owner of Arshad Salon on Park Street, said more than one client cancelled scheduled appointments on Saturday because of the showers.
From Gariahat to New Market, the dip in footfall had a cascading effect on restaurants as well.
Aminia in New Market was busy but less than usual.
“There is still some time left. Monday (Gandhi Jayanti) is also a holiday. Let us see if the sky clears “ said owner Kabir Azhar.