‘Uthradapachil’ begins

‘Uthradapachil’ begins

Sreelekshmy P S

Amritha Sreekumar

 

 Thiruvananthapuram city is in a festive mood. The people are getting ready to welcome Onam. Streets are filled with onam markets and stalls. Chalai bazaar is the busy trading area for all cosumer items- vegetables, furniture, electronics, plastics, clothes, flowers, grains, grocery, hardware, jewellery etc are available here.

            
            Chalai bazaar is special for the whole sale and the Connemara in Palayam is a retail centre. The athapookkalam, being the main attraction during Onam. There is great demand for flowers. Though the rates are higher compared to last year, there is a heavy rush in the flower shops in Chalai. “Now people from schools, colleges and offices buy flowers,” says a flower shop owner.

        A visit to Chalai bazaar would be more rewarding as the prices are comparatively low, even though nobody could move here comfortably due to mad rush. The vegetable market in Chalai is not very busy as the prices are too high and that people would prefer instant items like pickles and chips from shopping centres.

       Street vendors too are doing good business. “Poor people buy from us because we can sell the items without taxing them”, says a street seller.