City markets abuzz with Holi colours & festive vibes

With Holi just around the corner, the city’s bustling markets are splashed with vibrant hues and a dazzling array of quirky pichkaris, scary masks, and herbal abir. But while the colours are in full bloom, shopkeepers hint at a slightly muted sales season this year.
Model : Rittija Gupta
This season, pichkaris are going the extra mile in creativity. Forget your usual spray guns—kids are eyeing some serious splash weaponry!
AK-47 pichkari – ₹550 (Because why not go full action-hero?)
Minion gun – ₹90 (For a ‘banana’-fied water battle!)
Crocodile gun – ₹50 (Chomp & splash!)
Pikachu gun – ₹50 (Pika Pika, splash splash!)
Hammer pichkari – ₹100-₹150 (Best way to hammer your friends with colour!)

"Kids get amused by these pichkari guns. The umbrella gun is new this year! But overall, sales are slower than usual," says Rajesh Singh, a shop owner.
Roshan Kumar, another vendor, adds, “These hammer pichkaris are selling like crazy—I have to restock constantly!”

Why stop at colours when you can look the part too? The market is packed with pagris, masks, and more:
Pagri – ₹60 (For that royal Holi look)
Ghost mask – ₹90, ₹120, ₹150 (Scare before you splash!)
Batman mask – ₹30 (Holi hero, anyone?)
Abir – ₹50-₹70/kg (Because no Holi is complete without a little gulal magic!)
Herbal Abir -₹20 for 100 gm
But despite the riot of choices, some shopkeepers note a shift in enthusiasm. “Sales are low this year; a lot of people are getting conscious and are not playing Holi as much,” says Umakan Ray, a shopkeeper.

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For the widest variety of pichkaris, abir, and festive accessories, head to: