Delhi leads festive business momentum

Bhai Dooj, a festival that marks the love and affection between siblings, was celebrated with great enthusiasm across cities, towns, and villages on Thursday. From applying tilak and ex-changing gifts to family gatherings and festive feasts, the day was filled with joy and together-ness

The festival of Bhai Dooj brought festive cheer and strong business momentum across India this year, generating an estimated Rs22,000 crore in trade, according to the Confederation of All In-dia Traders (CAIT). Delhi alone contributed nearly Rs2,800 crore to this massive festive turno-ver, as people celebrated the special bond between brothers and sisters with gifts, sweets, and traditional rituals.

Bhai Dooj, a festival that marks the love and affection between siblings, was celebrated with great enthusiasm across cities, towns, and villages on Thursday. From applying tilak and ex-changing gifts to family gatherings and festive feasts, the day was filled with joy and together-ness.

Markets across major cities -- including Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Pune, and Indore -- witnessed heavy footfall as shoppers flocked to buy sweets, gifts, apparel, jewellery, and festive items.

According to CAIT, key categories that saw strong demand included sweets and dry fruits, gar-ments and sarees, jewellery and accessories, electronics, home appliances, and gift hampers.

Travel, cab services, restaurants, and hotels also reported a surge in business activity.

Praveen Khandelwal, Member of Parliament from Chandni Chowk and National Secretary Gen-eral of CAIT, said that Bhai Dooj not only strengthens family relationships but also contributes significantly to India’s economy.

“Bhai Dooj is not merely a family festival; it is the very soul of Indian culture that reinforces the spirit of love, sacrifice, and respect within familial relationships,” he said.

Khandelwal added that this year’s celebrations also supported the government’s ‘Vocal for Lo-cal’ and ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiatives, as traders encouraged the sale of indigenous products.

CAIT reported that sales of Swadeshi goods rose by nearly 50 per cent compared to last year, with strong demand for traditional sweets, handcrafted gifts, dry fruits, and handloom garments.

Highlighting the wider economic impact, Khandelwal noted that such festivals showcase the re-silience of India’s non-corporate and non-agricultural sector, which plays a vital role in driving the country’s growth.

CAIT believes that occasions like Bhai Dooj not only promote social harmony but also rejuvenate India’s traditional market culture by inspiring consumers to choose Swadeshi products, strength-ening the spirit of self-reliance in the Indian economy.