The Kumbhar (pottery) community, located in the bylanes of Dharavi, works 365 days a year to make various pottery items and sell their products at wholesale prices across India. But, just a month before Diwali, the potters’ primary focus is on making a variety of lamps in different shapes and sizes as per the trend in the market

While the very basic mud diya is sold at Rs 10 in pairs, the price ranges from Rs 10 to Rs 200 depending on the shape, size, and artwork used for making the diya

Visiting the bylanes in Dharavi, one can see the potters making traditional Diwali lamps on the power wheel, painting them, or packing them after giving them the final touches

Most of the wholesalers are from outside Maharashtra, especially from Gujarat

One of the residents of Lalbaug, specialising in crafting traditional lanterns from Paithani sarees, has been engaged in this business for six years. The venture, known as `HarshAbhi Creations,` was initiated by a husband-wife duo

Despite both of them being engaged in professional careers, they prioritise dedicating time to creating traditional lanterns before Diwali. This practice nurtures their artistic creativity

In their commitment to preserving tradition, several Marathi celebrities have chosen to purchase lanterns from this talented duo. Notably, they recently sent their first lantern to the USA. In the past, they had the honor of sending a lantern to the renowned Indian sportsman, Sachin Tendulkar

Just a week before Diwali, the footpath near Matunga’s Shoba hotel, also called the famous ‘Kandil Galli of Mumbai`, transforms into a colorful street with lanterns all across the footpath

Jagjit Singh, a 59-year-old resident of Kandil Galli, has been making lanterns for political parties for many years. According to him, he has been making lanterns during the Diwali festival since he was a teenager. Speaking about how the Kandil Galli molds the art of lantern making into business, Singh said, “For many decades, almost all the families in this bylane have been into making lanterns and selling them during the festival season. Today, there is a new generation that goes to jobs in the private and government sectors but also focuses on making lanterns during the festival, just to preserve the traditional culture of the bylane.”

Every household on the Kandil Galli street is involved in either commercial or political lantern-making. The political parties’ lanterns made in Kandil Galli, are not restricted only to demand in Mumbai but across Maharashtra. Singh makes at least 30 to 40 big-size political parties’ lanterns, which are transported outside Mumbai