From ‘Tiranga Barfi’ to tri-coloured balloons to discount sale, Pune gear up for Republic Day celebration

Pune’s favourite Pradeep Sweets has been tickling the taste buds of its customers for over 53 years. Every year as the city draws closer to January 26, all seven outlets of Pradeep Sweets across Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), will be offering a special delicacy – ‘Tiranga Barfi’ to uphold the spirit of India.

This year, however, the management has hiked the price of the sweet due to an increase in the cost of ingredients and other raw materials. ‘Tiranga Barfi’ is available at Rs 70 a kilogram, which is a jump of Rs 20 per kg from last year.

Even as people from all walks of life gear up to celebrate the day when India declared itself as a sovereign republic by adopting a Constitution, Republic Day businesses in the city have picked up.

On a pavement opposite Pradeep Sweets, sits Ratni Bai, a young migrant from Rajasthan, with her stock of tri-coloured balloons, flags, toy windmills and other items to mark the occasion. “I travelled around 12 km to procure the items at half the rates that I can sell them in the city,” she says.

Electronic stores such as Pari Computers are offering a five per cent cash-back on credit card usage along with a six-month low-cost EMI to customers. Larger showrooms like Croma are holding a ‘Constitution of Joy’ sale by offering a 50 per cent discount on electronic appliances like wireless earphones, tablets, refrigerators, ACs, and table fans.

Decorators are also in demand by clubs, political parties, institutions, and various organisations. However, they are charging higher prices as the cost of procurement, installation, and distribution of Republic Day paraphernalia has risen.

Event managers and decorators in the Chakan area, for instance, reported a hike in their service charge, citing the rising cost of balloons procured for installation at events. The average costs range from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 25,000 depending on the scale of the event. Firms such as Punde Mandap & Decor handle the entire spectrum, from carpeting and installation of the tricolour mandaps to seating, food, and security. Their clients vary from Kendriya Vidyalaya to factories that are holding Republic Day celebrations.