Bhopal: Plants pip sweets as Diwali gifts in Corona season

BHOPAL: As people grapple with ways to adapt to the new normal, a lot has changed when it comes to the way festivals are celebrated. While Diwali celebrations remain incomplete without oodles of sweets and dry fruits, during the pandemic people are increasingly resorting to plants as befitting, colourful gifts in place of mithai dabbas.
With weather turning slightly nippy, it is the time when a lot of seasonal plants bloom across the city nurseries.A lot of people are buying these for their homes as well as for gifts, said Shehzad Khan of Shahnawaz Nursery, near Dana Pani, Bawadia Kalan. “Flowering seasonals, including French marigold, salvia, petunia, dianthus, dog-flower, dahlia, pansy are in demand for home gardens as well as Diwali gifts. Priced at Rs 15 - Rs 30, they are bought in bunches and still remain within budget.”

Covid-19 has made people more conscious about the health benefits of certain plants, that is why there is a lot of demand for air purifying oxygen plants, said Pankaj Saxena of Chitransh Nursery near Shahpura Lake. He added, “Areca palm, zamia palm, ficus etc produce plenty of oxygen; hence they are quite in demand during Diwali season. They are priced anywhere between Rs 350 and Rs 1000, but people are buying them as gifts for their special friends and associates.”
An entrepreneur, Mahima Sahu believes that ‘green gifts are the best ones’. She said, “Sweets are definitely festive, but these days most of the people generally avoid outside food. So I would rather give my friends something that pleases the eyes and remains fresh for long. That is why I have opted for six varieties of money plants and succulents, for which I have ordered some handmade ceramic pots. Just before Diwali, I will send them over to spread eco-friendly cheer.”
Medicinal plants and herbs are the first choice of IT professional Avinash Jain. “Tulsi, ashwagandha, drumsticks, neem-giloy, amla, bay leaf, aloe vera and insulin plants - I have chosen different medicinal plant for each friend of mine, keeping the size of their home in mind. Sweets will be consumed in a week or so, but plants will remain in their lives for years,” said Avinash.