Colourful masks, balloons and loud whistles up for grabs

Mysuru: With Dasara festivities beginning, families from nomadic communities in Madhya Pradesh have arrived in Mysuru to sell toys and other items that attract children during the festival.

These families travel from one town to another during major fairs and festivals, making a living by selling toys. They set up stalls on streets and at junctions across the city, offering balloons, colourful masks, whistles, binoculars, toy guns, helicopters, cars, buses and other playthings. Bats, balls, drums and cotton candy are also among the items on sale.

For many children, buying toys is an inseparable part of the Dasara experience. With lakhs of visitors expected to visit Mysuru during the festival, toy stalls are among the attractions and vendors hope to make good sales.

However, the Police have imposed restrictions on the sale of noisy trumpets and shrill whistles, warning vendors of penalties if they sell items that cause public nuisance.

In previous years, the families camped at Doddakere Maidan, opposite the Dasara Exhibition Grounds. Following the rape and murder of a young migrant girl last year, they shifted their stay to the Town Hall premises out of fear. Police have now objected to their stay there, citing safety concerns and asked them to rent hotel rooms instead.

The vendors, however, said they could not afford hotel accommodation with their modest daily earnings. They have appealed to the Police to allow them to stay at Town Hall for the 10 days of Dasara, assuring them that they would leave once the festivities conclude.

After Dasara, the families plan to move to Bagalkot for another fair and continue their travels in search of business.

Meanwhile, the children accompanying the families miss out on education as they move from place to place. As they grow older, many follow their parents into the same trade. Toy seller Sneha told Star of Mysore that this was the reality of their lives.