Gujarat donkeys take centre stage in UP this Holi
ALLAHABAD: Donkeys of Gujarat have been in the limelight for all the wrong reasons this election season. Fired at from all political quarters, the donkeys are now ready to ‘shoot back’ in kind this Holi with ‘Kanhaiya’ herbal colours, ‘Dhoni gulaal’ and ‘Yuvraj abeer’! ‘Gadha pichkaris’ have become a hot pick among people ahead of Holi in markets across the state.
With polls midway and political pitch at an all-time high, the revelers in this festival of colours have an opportunity to go for some interesting ‘politically-inspired ’ products, with ‘Kanhaiya’ and ‘Priyanka’ colours besides ‘Modi’, ‘Akhilesh’ and ‘Dimple’ pichkaris that are in great demand with ‘Owaisi’ and ‘Kejriwal’ water guns.
With the countdown beginning for Holi festivities that last for three days in Sangam city, many shops in Chowk, Bahadurganj and even Katra are offering a wide range of these politically-inspired Holi products. “Modi pichkaris have been ruling the markets for the past three years, but it is ‘Dimple’ pichkaris along with ‘Akhilesh’, ‘Rahul’ and ‘Priyanka’ water guns that are giving a tough fight to it this time around,” said Ishan, who runs a shop in Chowk. While Akhilesh, Rahul and Priyanka plastic and fibre water guns with pictures of these leaders prominently displayed are available for anywhere between ₹30 and ₹150, Modi pichkaris in steel and brass are available from ₹300 to ₹600 depending on the size and metal. However, it is the new entrant ‘Gadha pichkari’ that has taken the market by storm. “The Gadha pichkaris proudly displaying photograph of an Indian donkey are attracting a lot of attention this time, courtesy the ongoing spat between Modiji and Akhileshji over wild asses of Gujarat,” said Arif Ali, a shop owner at Chowk, Allahabad.
Meanwhile, Owaisi and Kejriwal plastic pichkaris costing just ₹30 are also finding many takers among kids, especially from the old city area and slums.
As for colours, it is ‘Kanhaiya’ herbal colours costing ₹55 per packet and bearing a picture of former president of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union Kanhaiya Kumar that is a hot pick, besides those named after all-time favourite cricketers such as ‘Dhoni Gulal’ and ‘Yuvraj Abeer.’