Rain cannot dampen the spirit of Puja shoppers 2022

Thousands of Puja shoppers braved the rains and swarmed malls and markets. Even people from nearby districts travelled to Kolkata to pick up the best on offer and make bargains. The shops in the Esplanade area were overflowing with shoppers. People traveled for hours by bus to arrive at their destination in the Lindsay Street and New Market area. Carts that sold ice creams and cold beverages did brisk business. Shoppers had to avoid the sea of umbrellas. In Gariahat area there were stalls that sold trinkets were busy as were the sari stores. The parking lot of South City Mall was packed and many cars had to park in other locations. Brisk business in malls and markets ahead of Durga Puja. Business was brisk and sellers were happy at the jump in sales.

Many of the shoppers made a beeline for the food courts, where available, to taste the exotic dishes. There was a wide variety of Indian and foreign dishes on offer. The general manager of one of the malls revealed that ethnic wear, denim and jewelry were the top picks. Many shoppers look for bargains in the end of season sale. Incidentally, food was part of the agenda of many shoppers. Eateries were busy throughout the day.

Durga Puja from outside India and within –

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V-Day is a festival that has its roots in the West and we have twisted it to suit Indian conditions. The alternate festival which is similar to V-Day is Holi – the festival of colors. It also throws up opportunities for the boys and girls to get close enough to share a few moments of togetherness. Days of flows bending down to imitate a kiss belonged to the black-and-white era. The present era is all about colors.
Of course, the breath should also be fresh like the body covered with the fragrance of deosprays that will ensure that the fairer sex would swoon.
There is another side to this V-Day celebrations and that is the moral police brigade who keep their eyes open and wait to lay hands on those who get carried away in the euphoria. Members of the moral police brigade are opportunists and seize the chance to make a fast buck - threat and earn is their motto.


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I wonder of any can recall ads of a brand of toothpaste that went ‘half an inch on a dry brush is enough’ – today ads of toothpaste have groups of young boys and girls gyrating to hip-hop music and blowing kisses to prove to the world at large that the breath is indeed fresh.

There was a brand of toothpaste that was a favorite of children of the 1960 and even the 1970s – it used to come with tiny trinkets which used to be exchanged among friends. And, to top it all, there used to be a very popular music session of an hour’s duration on Wednesdays. The geetmala bore the name of the brand. Interestingly, that concept is now returning to the Indian Railways who will rename important trains like the Rajdhani and Shatabdi with brands – to earn revenues.
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