Kumily town in idukki, which has been famous for its spices and crunchy banana chips, has now become a hub for the sale of Kerala State lottery tickets.
With Sabarimala pilgrims and the tourists visiting the town stocking up on lottery tickets, the town now has over 50 lottery shops. Some of these shops remain open round the clock during the Sabarimala pilgrimage season.
Chakravarthi, a lottery shop owner at Kumily, said there was a growing interest among visitors to buy lottery tickets. “Tourists, Sabarimala pilgrims and even foreigners are eager to purchase lottery tickets. Such lotteries are not available in many places and so people buy them with great enthusiasm,’‘ he said.
Bumper sales
Among the most sought-after of the tickets is the one for the Christmas bumper, priced at ₹400. “Every day I sell 20-25 Christmas bumper tickets,” Mr. Chakravarthi said.
According to local lottery shop owners, a significant share of customers comes from Tamil Nadu. Many shops report selling more than 1,000 tickets a day, with long queues found in front of the shops during the pilgrimage season. “During this period, shops open early in the morning and run until late in the night. Some even operate round the clock,” one shopkeeper said.
Sreeram, a Sabarimala pilgrim from Trichy in Tamil Nadu, shared his experience. “Lottery tickets are not available in Tamil Nadu, so I bought one from here out of curiosity. I’m trying my luck with this Kerala government-owned product,” he said with a smile.
The surge in lottery sales has also turned Kumily into a lucrative destination for shop owners. Muhammed Rajali, a shopkeeper who leases his space for selling lottery tickets, revealed the economics behind it. “I rent out my shop for ₹1,000 a day with a security deposit of ₹3 lakh. This demand has turned Kumily into a thriving lottery hub,” Mr. Rajali said.
With the increased interest in lottery tickets, Kumily has also become a must-stop destination for tourists and pilgrims alike.
Published – December 22, 2024 08:58 pm IST