Specially-designed calendars with pictures of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, who passed away last Monday, have started arriving in the wholesale market in Shevapet.
There are 10 to 15 wholesale shops selling calendars, diaries and customised products with calendars for 2017 in different sizes. Calendars, including wall calendars and desk calendars, with natural sceneries, portraits of leaders and customised pictures are the ones commonly available, sold from anywhere between Rs. 20 to Rs. 300.
But after the demise of Ms. Jayalalithaa, calendars with her pictures are now conspicuous by their presence. “Everyday, we can see a new image of hers and get her blessings,” said M. Amudha, an AIADMK cadre who purchased a calendar. M. Manikandan (35), who runs a wholesale shop in Shevapet, said that calendars with her picture were already being sold in large quantities over the past 10 years, but the demand has gone up in the past two days.
“Calendars that show her clad in a green sari are in good demand now,” he said.
The wholesaler also said that 350 to 400 such calendars are being sold everyday and that sales are expected to increase by 30 percent in the coming days.
Most of the shopkeepers said that due to demonetisation, their sales had dropped by 60 percent and hoped for a change in the situation in the coming days.
“Only in December can we sell calendars and diaries. If cash availability is good among the people, we could order calendars in bulk,” a shopkeeper said.
