Diya is a small earthen lamp made of clay and lit specially during Diwali. With the changing times, these traditional clay diyas have undergone a major transformation.

Markets are full of artistically crafted diyas this festive season. Embellished with mirrors and 'zari' and filled with coloured wax, the Diwali diyas are a sight to behold. Said trader Rajesh Jain: "Various designer diyas and those of terracotta are the main attractions."

These diyas have explicitly outwitted the sale of the traditional diyas. Available at a price range of Rs.10-15, these diyas and candles are the new style statement in their category.

It is the same story with wax candles. Gel candles and glass candles in different and refreshing fragrance are replacing them. Floating candles made up of perforated cardboard also have enough reasons to tempt the buyers. Such candles are priced between Rs.40 and Rs.60.

"Diwali is no more just traditional festival but is the occasion in which people are ready to spend any amount of money on home decoration. People have started buying the designer diyas and floating candles to gift them to friends as well as relatives," said Vijay Sharma, who runs a gift shop here. However, for most potters, the designer diyas and new style candles are hitting their trade.

"People are not buying traditional earthen lamps. Our business has been hit hard because of the new products. If it goes like this, it would be difficult for us to run our business," complained Ramchandra, a potter. "In spite of our products being cheap, my sales this year has gone down by over 40 percent. I don't know what to do," moaned Heera, another potter.