Bengaluru, Oct. 3 -- With Diwali just weeks away, the festive spirit is already lighting up parts of Bengaluru and its outskirts, as firecracker sales begin to pick up momentum. Traders say the demand is strong, especially in border areas like Hosur, where stalls are being set up with government support.

"Business trends are promising this year, particularly around the city's outskirts and near border towns like Hosur," said Keshava V, State President of the Vishala Karnataka Pataki Varthakara Kshema Abhivrudhi Sangha, in a conversation with Hindustan Times. "The government has facilitated stalls for us in Hosur, and the craze among people to celebrate with crackers is still very much alive."

All crackers being sold this Diwali are gree...