Darjeeling flower market helps rural youths Organiser says it is an initiative to provide market for the youths involved in growing flowers to sell them

SNS, 27 October 2019, Darjeeling: A three-day flower sale organised here to provide a platform to youths from tea gardens and other rural areas to market their produce came to an end today.

Organised for the second time by an organisation called the Jana Samajik Sayog Sangh, the exhibition-cum-sale was held at the Gorkha Dukha Niwarak Sammelan ground. The first such sale was organised during the Diwali festival last year.

Flowers, especially marigold and chrysanthemum, are in high demand during Diwali, the festival of lights that is locally also celebrated as Tihar.

"It is an initiative to help market and provide a place for the youths involved ingrowing flowers to sell them. We have lots of youths in the rural belt and tea gardens who are into flower cultivation, but they do not have the means or place to display and sell their produce. We, therefore, decided to organise this sale to help these youths set up a stall free of cost," a Sangh member, Suraj Sharma, said.

The flower sale, which started from 25 October, was organised to coincide with the Diwali festival.

There were a variety of cut flowers and potted plants on sale in the 10 stalls, with them being mostly of the local variety like marigold and angelia too, to be used during the festival.

"Even if one gets a place to sell their produce, the charges are high in the town area. This provides them a free platform to sell their flowers. The sale also benefited the buyers, who, instead of going around market places in search of flowers, could buy a variety of them right at one single place," said Mr Sharma.

Several customers were seen at the GDNS ground today, while the organiser claimed that the stalls had been selling the flowers at lower prices than the open market.

"I cane here to see the flowers that are on display and also buy some. There seems to be a variety of good potted plants also to choose from,apart from flowers that are needed for the festival," said Mani Lama. a local resident.

Another member of the Sangh, Puran Thami, said, "Our youth can earn good money through the sale of these flowers as it is a lucrative business and one should take up this opportunity. It is a source of self employment."