Diwali Without Lights? Mumbai’s Lokhandwala Market Goes Dark, Here’s Why

Diwali is a festival of lights, but Mumbai’s Lokhandwala market has decided to go dark this year. For many years, the market along with Lokhandwala Complex Road would get decorated with lights and Diwali decorations 15 days before the festival. However, this year’s shopkeepers have opted not to adhere to this tradition. So what exactly happened? Continue reading further.

The reason the Lokhandwala market has gone dark this year is due to a heavy fall in profit. As per the reports, the sales of these shops have fallen down by 40-50 per cent. Reason? This shift in consumer behaviour is due to most people now buying things online, which has severely impacted the sales of these shops. As things are getting delivered to people at their doorsteps, it has made business difficult for these shop owners.

In the past, the Lokhandwala market in Mumbai wasn’t lit up during the Diwali festival. That was in 2006, when recession was about to hit. During that time, the shopkeepers also lost profits. The second time it happened was in 2020, during the pandemic.

Seeing the market not shine like it used to during the festival has left even the residents quite startled. In India, the shopkeepers make sure people feel the spark and joy while shopping as well. The complete absence of that spark this year is definitely something to think about. This year, it is Lokhandwala market, and one wonders if the other such large markets would follow the same and go dark during the festival of lights!