INDIAN TOWN COMES ALIVE
Shoppers throng popular site for Deepavali deals
AS Deepavali draws closer, the Indian Town here, which is usually quiet, has burst into life with colourful decorations, loud music and is inundated with shoppers.
A carnival-like atmosphere has set in as shoppers are seen busy looking through textiles, decorative items, accessories and cookies at the premises, which is the biggest site selling Indian products in the east coast.
Loud Tamil music can be heard blaring from speakers as customers, mostly carrying shopping bags, can be seen looking through the items, carefully examining them before making any purchase.
The Indian Town, within walking distance from two major shopping complexes here, has established its reputation as a shopping paradise among the Indian community since it began operating seven years ago.
Stall owner K. Chandran, 55, said although business was still slow, just like the previous years, things would usually pick up as the festival drew near.
He said most of the items sold in his stall, such as sarees, kurtas and children wear, were imported from India ahead of the festive sales.
“Since India has introduced the Goods and Services Tax this year, some items are expensive and I have to decide which items are in demand before making orders.
“Customers are frequenting the stall and I’m expecting a huge crowd over the weekend,” he said.
Customer R. Radhakrishnan, 50, said the Indian Town had allowed him to save time and money as in the past he had to bring his family to Kuala Lumpur to do their Deepavali shopping.
“You can find everything here under one roof and although there is a wide selection for shoppers, they are careful not to overspend and only purchase items that are necessary.
“These days, I would only buy new clothes for Deepavali and recycle the decorative items for the house.
“My priority is to have a set of new clothes for Deepavali and maybe do some extra shopping for the children,” he said, adding that despite the crowd, only a handful were making purchases.
Housewife R. Janani, 37, said she preferred the fixed price concept as she would not have to waste her time haggling with shopkeepers.
“Having a fixed price will make customers happy as they know that everyone is paying the same price.
“In fact, some people prefer to shop for traditional clothes online as some websites offer free delivery services,” she said.