Come Diwali and demand for Banana leaves -cut plant-rise. The scene is no different this time when Banana leaves were put up in many shops and houses in Ranchi.    

Banana leaves, considered sacred and eco- friendly are placed in the entry point of the shops and houses to welcome Goddess of wealth Laxmi. No wonder why businessmen deck up their shops and houses with a freshly cut Banana plant with its green leaves.       
 
The sellers make fast bucks. This Diwali, each Banana leaves cut from the bottom of a plant is selling for Rs 750. Krishna Dutt, owner of Paan Shop in Kanke Road, Ranchi has bought two cut plants of Banana and got them placed outside his shop. 'We pray, Laxmi Ji, bless us and every member of our family', he smiles.                            

Diwali is an annual festival celebrated to mark welcoming of Bhagwan Ram in Ayodhya after 14 years of forest life during which he had defeated Ravana in Srilanka.

Hindu mythology does not mix Bhagwan Ram with Goddess Laxmi. But both were worshipped by millions of Hindus across the globe. Nobody knows how and when Banana plant cut with leaves spread over it was planted first to welcome Goddess Laxmi on the day of Diwali               

However, since many Hindus put up Banana plants cut with leaves outside their homes and shops across the country, www.jharkhandstatenews.com decided to carry a survey in Ranchi. 

The response was: Nearly 86 percent of 236 Hindus interviewed on Diwali morning said they have faith in cleanliness form of Banana leaves." This is one reason why many of us love to have food over a Banana leaf. Also, it protects air pollution. Goddess Laxmi cannot be welcomed in a more eco - friendly manner than putting up Banana leaves outside homes and shops', said Dutt.