Durban - - Fireworks traders are doing a brisk trade days before Deepavali.
The operations director of India Fireworks, Pravesh Mahabeer, said customers were leaving his store laden with traditional and new branded products.
His premises at the Hare Krishna Temple in Longcroft, Phoenix, has over 1500 products to choose from and is priced to accommodate customers’ income brackets.
Fireworks, he said, ranged from 50 cents to a whopping R10000.
“The most popular buys are the kiddies items like the pop pops and sparkles, and the 19-shot Indian cakes and 100-shot Tasmania are trendy items.
“The Tasmania has an exquisite height, a seven different colour effect and a long lasting duration, which makes it more enjoyable.”
His late father-in-law, Jay Sookoo, started the business in 1993 and was one of the first businessmen to import handmade fireworks from India.
Mahabeer said the fireworks are made under strict explosive regulations, and staff at each branch (Chatsworth, oThongathi and Merebank) often explain their usage to customers.
Each product, he added, also contained a label with instructions. Pamphlets cautioning customers on the dangers of incorrect usage are handed out at till points.
The company put together a spectacular 12- to 15-minute non-stop aerial display on Saturday, October 14, at the Durban Diwali Festival at the drive-in site, as well as at the India Fair, at Moses Mabhida People’s Park on Sunday.