Archive · 12 Sep 2026
Chinese Imports and Synthetic Decorations Lead Ganeshotsav Shopping
Ganeshotsav is coming soon, so people are buying decorations for their home shrines.
Shops are crowded with colorful items such as garlands, lights and backdrops.
Many customers want separate pieces instead of decorations that are already assembled.
This lets them create their own designs at home.
Thermocol decorations are banned across India.
A foam-like material called Hitlon is being used instead.
It is light, smooth and easy to shape.
People can even paint it so it looks like wood or marble.
Shoppers are buying loose decoration materials to assemble Ganesh mandaps at home.
Garlands, bells, sequinned backdrops, torans, tassels, lights and bead strings fill shops.
A shopkeeper in Narayan Peth says customers prefer customizable materials over ready-made designs.
Hitlon, a lightweight synthetic foam, is increasingly replacing banned thermocol decorations.
One shopkeeper says Hitlon and other synthetic products account for nearly 80% of his sales.
- Who
- Shoppers, local decoration sellers and Vinod Oswal, owner of Samrat Mini Mart, are mentioned.
- What
- People are purchasing loose, ready-to-assemble materials and synthetic products for Ganeshotsav decorations.
- When
- In the days before Ganeshotsav.
- Where
- Decoration shops in Narayan Peth and near Tulsi Baug are mentioned.
- Why
- Customers want to create customized home mandap decorations, while Hitlon offers a lightweight alternative to thermocol.
- Festival
- Ganeshotsav
- Customer preference
- Loose materials that can be assembled at home
- Thermocol status
- Thermocol decorations are banned across India
- Alternative material
- Hitlon, a lightweight and smooth spongy foam
- Hitlon sizes
- Sheets are available in 10mm, 12mm, 14mm and 16mm sizes
- Reported sales share
- Nearly 80% of Samrat Mini Mart's sales come from Hitlon and other synthetic products
- Uses
- Hitlon can be shaped, spray-painted and used for arches or backdrops