Mumbaikars switch to eco-friendly, made-in-India lanterns this Diwali

Eco-friendly and made-in-India products seem to be all the rage this Diwali, as discerning Mumbaikars are thronging some of the city's famous markets with a checklist of festive essentials that are not harmful to the environment.

From candles to diyas, and colourful rangolis to a wide range of lanterns, the market is flooded with all sorts of Diwali paraphernalia and this time, the emphasis is on India-made products.

Kandil Gali, a lane in the western suburb of Mahim known for its lantern shops, comes alive in the run-up to the festival of lights.

The lane lined with shops selling a wide range of lanterns of different shapes, sizes, colours and styles makes for a breathtaking image during the festival.

According to shopkeepers, this year, however, lanterns made of cloth, paper and cardboard are in high demand. "We sell a wide range of lanterns, made of paper and cloth, as that is what customers want. There is more awareness about the ill effects of plastic and thermocol on the environment so people are going in for eco-friendly lanterns," says Vaibhav, a shopkeeper at lantern lane.

People are also keen on investing in made-in-India products and local creations, shopkeepers say.

''Customers want to purchase locally-made items and are not interested in China-made products," says Swati, another shopkeeper at the lane.

The trend of eco-friendly and India-made lanterns shows that people are going about their purchases with an increased awareness about the environment.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)