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.

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Learn to embrace the mall culture

Malls are an extension of what, in the good old days, used to be known as Departmental Stores – these were large shops where one could get a variety of items under one roof.
I remember the Samabaiyka – a Government of West Bengal initiative where goods used to be sold at reasonable price because they had less profit margin and the pricing was done to share the profits.
Then there was a private Departmental Store in Kolkata – it was in a central location on Dharamtola Street very near to Wellington Square.
The name of this store was Kamalalaya – it can be said to be the forerunner of malls in Kolkata. It had every conceivable department starting from apparel to utensils to furniture, crockery and traveling gear to books and toys. There was even a section devoted to music – mostly 78rpm records, and record players. And, the refreshment room was an added attraction.

The system of buying was flawless. Once the customer made a purchase, the item would be sent to the dispatch section at the exit gate. He would have to pay the money at the counter and collect the items. There used to be a uniformed guard at the gate and, in case required, he would hail a taxi for you.
Mall culture is a fast paced one with customers continuously on the move. There are more of window-shoppers as compared to actual shoppers and they seldom come single. Either there are a bunch of giggling girls or happy-go-lucky boys or women out for a fashion break from their kitty parties. They stop to watch, review and pass on. The staff at the counters try to impress upon the would-be customers but they are better informed.
The shelves are full of tempting offers – ‘buy 2, get 2 free’. It is equally applicable to biscuits and cold drinks as well as T-shirts. The attractive items are displayed in huge glass showcases and the items are spread over several floors with escalators to go from one level to the next.
As to refreshments – they are in the Food Courts – the 21st century definition of restaurant.
And, all carry-away items have security tags attached – to prevent theft. These tags are removed only at the payment counter.(to be continued …)

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