The New Shopping Times !

The weekend saw us visit Garuda Mall. The agenda, besides adding a few elements to my wife’s wardrobe, was to park the car on any of the 13 odd floors available for parking. Without much of hassles.

The Ground Floor on Garuda Mall has space enough for promotions to happen. And usually it is one or the other marketer exhorting the general public to buy that life insurance, try that make up, ride that car, eat that snack and so on. This week there was considerable excitement. As ‘Pioneer’ was promoting its audio players, speakers etc.

As we meandered, there was enough noise and four floors of packed audience with balcony view, shouting, hooting and having a great time. We followed our ‘natural instincts’ to see what was happening.

It was a contest for couples. The rule was that couples needed to dance “on & within” a strip of paper. The size of paper keeps getting halved. So you found rather inventive couples, trying hard to fit into a small sheet of paper which later became a strip of paper. Some atop each other’s legs. Feet. Backs. What not.

The prize : A Pioneer DVD player worth Rs.5000/-.

The size of the paper was inversely proportional to the enthusiasm and energy of the crowd (and the participants too). It was an interesting experience to me. Just to see the crowds cheer and the participants glow. And the range of energy that was created.

The participants seemed to care two hoots to any possible ‘protect-my-culture’ activist as they hugged, carried, danced etc in the middle of a shopping mall. And had a great time doing it all. So did the crowds.
On the one one side, we have a judge arresting somebody for a peck on the cheek. Ok, a slightly longish one at that. But, on the other side we have a society which is moving beyond to a new realm. Looking at. Learning from. Yearning for. Something that is far different. A new pattern is indeed emerging.

What was inconceivable a few years back is common place now. The choices that the marketed nation is making, is more of “doing my own thing”.

Well, well, well, it was indeed a Pioneering evening for me. One that brought me face to face with a new mindset, that i always knew existed.

In the shopping mall ? Well that was a surprise !

Todays song Ironic by Alanis Morisette represents my thoughts !

9 thoughts on “The New Shopping Times !

  1. ha ha.. good one Kavi!

    but watch out. You might be charged by the moral police for publicly displaying such photos in your blog!

    I was just wondering yesterday.. if Gere had Kissed Shilpa during a Filmfare awards ceremony or at an Oscar red carpet pre-show and they had telecast that, would they still be subject to arrest ?

    🙂

  2. Keshi says:

    fun weekend then! 🙂

    Keshi.

  3. manuscrypts says:

    maul promo!! meanwhile drop in for some fourplay at my blog 🙂

  4. Pooh says:

    Well it amazes me how Indians and their views keep changing. Every time I come to India, I see a big change in what India was a year back. And moral police? well I guess my definition of Indian culture is totally different from theirs and I wish they would spend their energy, time and money doing something good for the country and not going around burning archies showrooms on Valentines day!
    And to all the Indian going places, fly as high as you want to but keep yourself rooted with your culture (and please not the VHS and Shiv Sena version of it)!

  5. Chillpilgrim says:

    Btw you didnt tell us if you participated

  6. Payal says:

    Hmmm So we love shopping too..
    hope you have added something in ur collection 🙂
    Cheers

  7. Kavi says:

    Sundar : Good questions. Very good question. Very very good questions 🙂

    Keshi ” Reminds me of ‘Wicked game’ !!

    Manu : Yes ! Mauled Promo. no ?!!

  8. Kavi says:

    Pooh : Most of our collective definitions of the moral police are different ! Because they are a completely different lot altogther. I guess we are going through a huge transition of sorts. Pulled in different directions. Yes. We need to stay rooted.

  9. Kavi says:

    Chill Pilgrim: No mate ! Was in the crowd !

    Payal: The shopping collection is a constant increment 🙂

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.