Gloomy Weather and Almanack Restrictions Hit Agartala's Jamai Sasthi Bazaar
Jun 19, 2026
Rain and cloudy weather have cast a shadow over the Jamai Sasthi market this year, with traders in Agartala reporting sluggish sales on the eve of the festival despite stocking up on flowers, durba grass, bel leaves, karamcha, mangoes, lychees and other puja items in anticipation of a busy season.
Jamai Sasthi, observed on Saturday, is among the most prominent of the thirteen festivals packed into the Bengali year. On this day, mothers-in-law perform Ma Sasthi puja for their sons-in-law, praying for the well-being of their children, and tie a turmeric-dipped thread on the jamai's wrist as the goddess's blessing. The ritual is carried out by the women of the household, and sons-in-law are formally invited and honoured for the occasion.
Vendors across Agartala's markets took up their positions on Friday, laying out a full range of festival supplies. While families once collected these materials from their own gardens and surroundings, the shift toward market purchases has become the norm, driving steady demand in the days leading up to the festival.
This year, however, persistent cloud cover and bouts of rain through the week kept buyers off the streets. "The weather has really hurt us this time. Customers are just not coming out," said one vendor at a city market. Several traders had gone into the season expecting strong sales, only to find footfall falling well short of those hopes.
Adding to the commercial setback, a mal maas in the Bengali almanac this year has meant that newly-wed sons-in-law are traditionally excused from observing their first Jamai Sasthi. The absence of first-time celebrations has further reduced the volume of shopping and special arrangements that usually boost market activity around the festival.
Despite these pressures, puja essentials including karamcha, flowers, durba and bel leaves have remained affordably priced. Traders are counting on a last-minute surge of buyers on Saturday to partially offset the slow start, hoping that the weather holds and shoppers make up for lost time before the morning puja begins.
