Get quirky in gifting this Diwali

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Shradha Chettri | 20 Oct, 2014
From induction cookers that can play music to lamps made from recycled wine bottles, to ethnic wear with handmade tribal art and customised cupcakes and macaroons - here's a chance this Diwali to get quirky and stand out when you present gifts to your loved ones.

Manufactured by E-Durables, the smart induction cooktops will surely make anyone happy this Diwali.

With the capacity to connect smartphones or bluetooth devices to a cooktops, it can play music through its in-built speakers and download an audio cookbook, which the person cooking can listen to and whip up a dish in a jiffy.

Not only that, if a recipe is required from friends or family, that can be obtained through Skype chat.

"The kitchen is the only place where there is no use for a smartphone and this smart induction cooktop is an attempt to make cooking an enjoyable experience," Gaurav Bhutani, vice president, sales and marketing of E-durables, an electronics goods manufacturing company, told agency.

The device also comes with slider control for power.

"Instead of pressing a button, one can just slide to increase or decrease temperature. It also gives users details about power consumption," added Bhutani.

Launched this year on e-commerce websites, it can be purchased for Rs.3,995 along with a free 4GB pen drive as a special Diwali offer.

If you are planning to gift someone something different then give a lamp made out of recycled wine or beer bottles with a personalized message engraved on it.

Started by a group of friends, Kavi - the Poetry Art Project has been creating many varieties of planters, lamps and key hangers from recycled wine and beer bottles.

"Today, when most of our natural resources are depleting, recycling is an extremely good tool that can help to protect and save the environment. Most corporate houses are also looking for recycled stuff rather than gifting fancy common items," Kavi co-founder Madhuri Balodi told agency.

Reasonably priced, with the maximum price for a lamp shade going up to Rs.1,599, the Kavi night lamps have images of Lord Buddha, Ganesha and Lakshmi, Che Guevera, Marlyn Monroe and many rock stars which appeal to people of all ages.

"We started online but now we are associated with several stores in Delhi and NCR as well as in Mumbai, Jaipur and Bangalore. In Delhi, our products are available at Full Circle café at Khan Market and Greater Kailash, Book Ur Dreams café at Hauz

Khas Village, Giggles at Connaught Place and Plant Studio at City Centre Mall, Gurgaon," added Balodi.

But if one does not want to gift home appliances or decor items, there is a wide variety of ethnic wear to choose from and what's more, the designs will be by tribal artists.

"We launched our collection at the end of September on online platforms. Our Diwali collection has Pattachitra art with patterns depicting scenes from the Ramayana and other mythological folklore," Srijata Bhatanagar, chief executive officer and co-founder of EthnicShack, told agency.

They mostly sell dupattas and saris and are priced from Rs.10,500 to Rs. 12,000.

Pattachitra is one of the oldest tribal art forms of Odisha and is even found in West Bengal.

This Diwali, people can also plan to move from traditional methods of gifting sweets by buying trendy hampers of cupcakes, macaroons and cookies instead of 'ladoos' and 'kaju barfi'.

"Gifting cupcakes and macaroons with a Diwali theme is emerging as a hit gifting option in homes with children. Corporate houses are also choosing these," Vatsala Arora of Sweet Magique told agency.

Sweet Magique, a home-grown bakery in Gurgaon, started last year and now also supplies to big corporate houses.

Like Sweet Magique, there are several such home-grown bakers in the national capital and adjoining regions who have started this trend.

"As mine is a home-grown bakery, people either call me or place their orders through Facebook," added Arora.

The packaged hampers start from Rs.750 and can go up to Rs.1,500.

While these home-grown bakers are starting new trends of sweet gifting, major players like Mad Over Donuts (MOD) have launched Diwali specials.

"Last year, we had introduced Motichoor Donut and the Kaju KatriDonuts. They were quite successful; so this year we introduced the Gulab Jamun Donut," MOD chief operating officer Tarak Bhattacharya told agency.

According to Bhattacharya, these Diwali special donuts has been flavoured to Indian tastes and account for 18 to 20 percent of overall sales.

So, don't wait! celebrate Diwali with your friends and family by gifting them something unique and different.