The word "Shopping" lights up a glint in one's eyes immediately. In urban India today, thanks to the rampant rise of the shopping mall, one's options in buying have increased manifold. Gone are the days when we would have only one neighbourhood grocer or local market with their patent "General Stores" label, and their limited variety on offer. Today, shopping has reinvented itself, for one can not only shop, but also spend leisure time in a space with ample security and good environment. Shopping malls have doubled up as meeting points for friends, colleagues, and families. Yesterday, such a facility existed only in a club, which demanded exclusivity and membership. Today, access to a Mall is so much more convenient, user friendly, economical and offers the feel-good factor, away from the noise and din of the open roads.
Malls today offer something for everybody. It serves as an ideal family outing spot,and especially takes care of those moments when you don't know exactly what to do, but need to fill in that extra space in your day. Food courts, the very convenient, trendy looking, fast food stalls all stacked together, offer a variety of food at economical rates. Be it Mexican, Italian, Indian (North and South),Continental or American fast food: there is food to satisfy any and every type of palate. Alongside the eating and shopping experience, there are safe children's play areas, which take care of channelizing the young ones' energy. In today's fast paced world, where calling on relatives and friends at their homes has become passe`, the shopping mall provides a great outlet for every individual. Critics of shopping malls may be in plenty, but I doubt if there is even one among them who do not admire the pleasures that a mall offers.
Modern retail outlets provide the latest and best of fashion, food and entertainment. Forget asking your NRI Aunt or cousin for a favour anymore:your favourite international brand perfume or jeans is now just a short drive away! Can life get anymore convenient? Plus, there are always those great offers, seasonal sales and discounts which make the experience even more worthwhile. It actually makes sense to shop for groceries from the supermarkets at malls these days, rather than buying stuff at the MRP (maximum retail price) rates of the local corner store.Shopping in India has certainly been revolutionized; and the credit wholly and solely goes to the modern shopping malls!
yeah i totally agree...also gives the feel good factor when you are in the midst of the bustling crowd and select your fav cafe and have a leisure chat with your friends or go to some mega bookstore and browse through titles if you want to escape from the maddening rush...though sometimes it may just irk you a bit specially when you have to squeeze your way during discount and mega seasons...:)
ReplyDeletetotally! the mall culture is IN! :) the malls these days offer every single option that you can think of to kill your time.
ReplyDeletethe only experience that the malls can't match up to is the one that you get in a 'subzi mandi'. the look of fresh vegetables around you, the calls of the subziwallahs, the busy housewives trying to get the best piece of every vegetable, make the subzi mandi a great place to be (only for sunbzi shopping though). :D
I Hate Malls,
ReplyDeleteGurgaon has only malls, Huge Malls, Tall Malls.. Malls Hi Malls . And nothing else.
I prefer going through CP market in delhi over any mall.
Earlier evening will be spent going for a stroll in the park or to some nice outdoor place, now the only thing people do is go to a mall. Coz their is no space left to make a park. Here you will find a mall in every street but very few parks, green areas where people can sit and enjoy the serene intoxication that nature offers.
Subzi Mandi's rock! Malls Suck !
For a relaxed outing malls, esp those with bookstores and coffee shops score. But then, nothing beats the variety, bargains and cuisine on offer in a character-ful market area, which is surely there in every Indian city.
ReplyDeleteI guess every mall has a vibe and it depends on the city it's in. Some make me feel claustrophobic while others seem like amusement parks. LOL
ReplyDeleteBut yeah, the mobilisation of international brands is certainly helpful when everything is influenced by everything else especially in terms of consumerism.
And sabzi mandi's have a charm of their own. The endless conversations between buyers and sellers bargaining prices and discussing the quality of the produce is typical of Asian countries.. not only in India, I think even in China this exists.. Guess it's more of a slight cultural shift.. But yeah, it's interesting how something as simple or trivial or sort of not-that-important experience as shopping can tell so much about the times we are living in.
Good one, Ruma. :)