Who cracked it this Season?

KOCHI: The city is in the midst of Diwali, and cracker shops have been exhibiting a variety of crackers from different parts of the state and outside it. Crackers from Sivakashi, known for their quality and variety, are finding more takers, while locally made crackers are lagging behind.The ‘china padakkam’ crackers which range from  Rs 5 to  Rs 6000 is an especially attractive option. “The demand for ‘china padakam’ is more as it offers diverse varieties of crackers. The crackers which explode in the sky with different colours and designs are also included in this category. These are made in Sivakashi,” says Shihab Saleem a wholesale firecracker shop owner.He adds that it is the outstation population who purchase lots of crackers than the locals.  “Diwali as a festival is more important to them. The sale for the crackers will only last for a couple of days,” he says.The fancy fireworks range from Poothiri, Lathiri, different kind of flowerpots,wheels,gunds to the crackers that reach the sky and explode.