PESHAWAR: The use of wedding celebratory items such as Mehendi, Gajray and Maala is fast becoming a tradition across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. Over the past few years, a large number of outlets selling wedding celebratory items sprawled in every nook and corner of Peshawar city.

Around 2,000 small and big stores selling these items existed in and around Peshawar, said a local resident.

Storekeepers selling wedding celebratory items told this correspondent that 40 per cent of those items were imported from China, some items brought from Lahore and Karachi and yet the rest were designed and produced locally. A large number of young boys and girls make Mehendi plates and bouquet of fresh flowers in different shapes in their homes and at stores.

Fatima Batool, a university student, told this scribe that women`s happy events never went without Mehendi and other related items that could add to their excitement. She said that women were expert at introducing new designs, fashions and styles when it came to outfits and make-up milieu. She said that the celebratory items tradition was simple but full of colours.

`My father runs a small store in Qissakhwani Bazaar where a variety of such items are available. Earlier, he used to sell fireworks along with Mehandi plates,` she said.

Ms Batool said that more and more variety of Mehendi plates, Gajray and Maala with matching bouquets were available now, while the demand for fireworks was going down.

Peshawar Saddar and Fawara Chowk are the main hubs of celebratory items where the number of shops selling such items has swelled to 25 from just three outlets a few years ago. Celebratory items are used on the occasion of engagement, wedding and birthday celebrations. According to storekeepers, shopping season of the celebratory items was on round the year.Gulalai Ashraf, a young woman, said that celebratory items were reflective of funfair activity to generate more pleasure out of rare events. She said that women were rarely exposed to happy occasions in the rigid society here. She said that weddings were always celebrated in a traditional manner. `I say we shouldn`t make this tradition an expensive feat. I have bought two packages for my elder brother`s wedding ceremony to be held next week,` Ms Ashraf said.

Rashid Ahmad, a storekeeper in Saddar, said that a package comprising 20 to 50 different wedding celebratory items was available for various prices. He said that a simple package was available for Rs3,000 but adding more items would cost as high as Rs30,000 depending on the quality and number of items.

Another storekeeper Fazle Rasool said that the average price of the package ranged between Rs30,000 and Rs 40,000. He added that essential items of the wedding celebratory package included Gajray, Maala, bouquet of fresh flowers, Mehandi and candle plates.