M Aamir Khan
Srinagar: For the first time, the wall calendars are running out of stock due to unprecedented demand in the market.
This follows J&K Bank’s decision to stop publishing its iconic calendar from this year.
Sellers say the calendars are running out of stock as they are witnessing an unprecedented demand for the first time ever.
“I have sold all the calendars that I had and the stockiest said getting new ones will take two to three days more. I have never seen such a huge demand for calendars. People would at the most ask for Islamic calendars but this time they just want to buy anything….this is because the J&K Bank did not print calendars this year,” owner of Khan News Agency, Hilal Ahmad told The Kashmir Monitor.
The J&K Bank had recently launched its mobile calendar application after deciding not to print the same this year. While the J&K Bank used to distribute its calendars free, the people also had an emotional connect with the same.
Manzoor Bhat, a roadside calendar seller, said he would usually struggle to sell calendars costing Rs. 10 each.
“I would usually struggle to sell calendars that cost Rs. 10 and Rs. 20. However, these days, people are happily buying 12-page calendars that cost Rs. 50 each,” he said.
Columnist Dr. Imran Nabi said he had been robbed of the ‘few pleasures of welcoming the New Year’ with reference to the J&K Bank’s decision to go digital.
“This year by giving the JK calendar a miss, the bank has robbed us of one of our few true pleasures of welcoming the New Year. The J&K bank calendar is an integral part of my favorite childhood memories. I remember my mother diligently writing various kinds of things to be recorded on the calendar for example when was the new gas cylinder put in place or the dates when the milkman delivered milk. And I believe that holds true for most of the households,” he told The Kashmir Monitor.
He said the J&K calendar was a special commodity and everyone would vie to have one. “As I grew older I would eagerly wait to read the script that accompanied the stunning pictures. The said script would be insightful and full of never before acquired knowledge. It also was a favorite among government employees who would be eager to find the list of holidays marked in red to give them a sense of well-being and relief from going to the office daily. And that holds true for the students as well. The J&K Bank calendar will be truly missed,” he added.
