End of kamurta means big business for textile firms

With the 'kamurta', a period during which functions such as marriages are not held, ending on January 14, the demand for textiles is likely to pick up.

The month-long kamurta started on December 14. Its end marks the commencement of the marriage season, and so peak business for the textiles industry.

"The Marwaris, Gujaratis and certain other north Indian communities abstain from organising auspicious functions like marriages and vaastu during kamurta. The Punjabi & Sindhi communities also observe the kamurta to a certain extent. Retail sales of textiles decline in this period," Federation of Surat Textile Traders Association vice president Devkishan Manghani said.

"Since the major wholesale suppliers of saris and dress material are based in Surat, the slump in retail sales directly affects the textile industry here. Since December 14, there is hardly any business as far as the textiles business is concerned. Retail textile sales will pick up from January 15," he said.

"There is a possibility of good business for the textile industry during the next one-and-a-half months. The Holashtak, which is again inauspicious for marriages or similar functions, would start by February-end," he informed.

The textile industry of Surat is also bearing the brunt of the tsunami disaster. Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Warangal, Rajahmundry, Kochi and Calicut are some of the major business centres for textile industry, but on account of the tsunami, the supply to these centres has come to a halt.

Industry experts said the monetary chain has also been adversely affected by the tsunami disaster as there are no payments arriving from the southern centres.

Experts added that it would be at-least two to three months before the business to these states is restored, which could result in loss of business of hundreds of crores to the textile industry of Surat.