Chennai, Oct 19 : On the eve of Diwali, festive excitement has swept across Chennai, as residents thronged textile and sweet shops despite continuous rain since Sunday morning.

For many, the festival brings to mind new clothes, fireworks, and sweets ' and the city's markets are buzzing with last-minute shoppers determined not to let the downpour dampen their festive spirit.

From early morning, shoppers carrying umbrellas filled popular commercial hubs such as T. Nagar, Washermenpet, Purasawalkam, and Sowcarpet.

T. Nagar, in particular, turned into a sea of moving umbrellas as crowds made their way through rain-soaked streets to pick out the latest designs and colours in festive wear.

Textile shop owners said they had arranged displays similar to previous years, with a wide variety of fabrics and readymade garments to attract customers.

"Sales have improved in the last few days, and today being a holiday, we expect an even bigger crowd," one shopkeeper said.

Sweet shops, too, witnessed brisk business as people queued up to collect their pre-ordered Diwali treats.

Traditional delicacies such as ghee sweets, kaju katli, and laddoos were in high demand, with some major stores refusing new bulk orders due to overwhelming demand.

Many shoppers were seen sampling and buying newly introduced varieties of sweets, adding to the festive rush.

Though sales were initially slow this season, traders said they had picked up momentum over the past few days.

However, the city's firecracker trade faced temporary setbacks due to the rain. Many of the stalls set up across the city remained quiet on Saturday morning, with only a handful of buyers turning up.

Sellers said business picked up in the afternoon once the rain subsided slightly.

"We've started seeing more customers this evening. If the rain eases today, we expect strong sales tomorrow," Cracker Sellers Welfare Association Executive Chairman Sheikh Abdullah said.

Meanwhile, automobile showrooms also reported higher footfall this week. The recent GST reduction on vehicles, coupled with festive discounts from car manufacturers, encouraged many to book new cars and motorcycles ahead of Diwali.

Despite the rain, Chennai's festive spirit remains undiminished ' with traders hopeful that Diwali day will see record sales across all sectors.

/IANS