Designer sky lanterns or akashdeeps are available in innovative shapes this Diwali

From a traditional homely affair to a commercially productive creation, the akashdeep has always been an intrinsic part of Diwali décor. With the festival knocking at the door, these lighted kandils with designer lamp shades are once again topping the list of Diwali shopping.

Initially made of paper and cane, today the akashdeep are also made of various fabrics. This season what is dominating the scape are the Chinese akashdeep. These are available in myriad shapes, colours and sizes with exquisite tassels attached. Many shops in the city are also offering metallic ones with attached bulbs that command a higher price.

Talking about the significance of these sky lanterns, Quasim Tamboli, whose 100 year old shop in Laxmi Road, has also displayed a huge variety of these lanterns, says, “Akashdeep signifies the light of God. While the Chinese ones are machine made, the paper and cane lamps still depend on human artistry and precision. Also while the demand for fabric made and paper made akashdeep is great, the cane ones do not enjoy much popularity with the common people due to its high cost and non durable nature" adds Tamboli. Incidentally there are also the special Mughal -e-Azam home-made akashdeeps made of rainbow paper that is capturing the attention of the customers. Others have cartoon characters on them.

Admiring the designer lanterns that have flooded the markets, Manisha Patange, a resident of Mukund Nagar, who was busy buying all sorts of decorative items for her home said, "I prefer to have the akashdeep made up of fabric as they look more attractive. For me, like for most others, there is no diwali without the lanterns."

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