Holi 2026: Pune Markets See Drop in Non-Veg Demand as Lunar Eclipse Coincides with Dhulivandan

Pune, 3rd March 2026: A total lunar eclipse coinciding with Dhulivandan dampened the festive appetite of non-vegetarian food lovers in the city, as the full moon day (Purnima) observance lasted until evening. The celestial event impacted the demand for mutton, chicken and fish, traders said on Tuesday.

Traditionally, Holi Purnima is marked by offering puran poli as ‘naivedya’, while many residents consume non-vegetarian food on the following day of Dhulivandan. The day usually witnesses a sharp spike in demand and prices of mutton, chicken and fish across Pune markets.

However, this year, Dhulivandan fell on the day of a total lunar eclipse, and with Purnima prevailing until evening, demand for non-vegetarian items remained subdued for most of the day. Traders reported only moderate sales. After the eclipse ended and the full moon phase concluded in the evening, demand picked up marginally.

Chicken prices saw a slight increase of ₹10 per kg despite the overall muted demand.

At the Ganesh Peth fish market, around 25 to 30 tonnes of fish arrived on Tuesday (March 3) from deep sea, river and creek sources, along with consignments from Andhra Pradesh, including varieties such as Rohu, Katla and Silan.

“Demand for fish remained average on Dhulivandan. Prices are stable,” said fish market trader Thakur Pardeshi.

Market observers said that while Dhulivandan typically boosts non-vegetarian sales in Pune, the rare coincidence of a lunar eclipse and extended Purnima rituals this year led to a noticeable impact on consumption patterns.

“On Tuesday, around 1,000 to 1,200 goats were traded. The lunar eclipse and the Purnima falling on Dhulivandan affected sales,” said Prabhakar Kamble, President of the Pune City Mutton Vendors Association.

“There was a possibility that demand would be impacted due to the lunar eclipse and Purnima. Therefore, chicken vendors purchased lower quantities than usual. Every year on Dhulivandan, around 1,100 tonnes of chicken are sold collectively in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad. This year, sales in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad stood at 700 tonnes. Usually, there is heavy rush for purchases from morning on Dhulivandan. However, this year there was not much crowd during the day. Some crowd was seen after 6 pm,” said Rupesh Pardeshi, Director of the Pune City Broiler Association.