Phew... I am home, with all my body organs in their own place. The annual stock clearance sale, better pronounced as "Chaitro Sale" hit the market hard enough to have had record footfalls. I should say it is the people who disport unprecedented eccentricity woo-ed by the word "SALE". Ok, I admit it. I too get wooed when I see shops offering huge discounts. I am a woman. But less eccentric than those who have that mad enthusiasm for shopping-till-your-hamstrings-sprain. Shopkeepers keep screaming in your ears, "eksho taka... ja neben eksho taka", you sweat like hell because roads are packed like sardines, you dont know where to place your foot next(on the road or on someone's feet), you have to push others to make way or else get pushed away, and then if you have still managed to sustain your shopping spree, you enter a shop where the shopkeeper is no more on the floor. He stands on his pulpit(usually a small bench), calling out prices, inviting you to his shopping arena. It is hard to say if the discounts are genuine, because the quality genuinely suffers. However, it is a "steal" you know, and to purchase the best stuff from a huge mountain of faulty junks is a victory for every "mashima" and "kakima" who exude their bargaining skills, under the scorching mid day sun or sultry summer evenings.
I was amazed to see a very renowned cloth brand outlet selling off some expensive dresses at less than half price. I am a regular buyer at their place. And I had been there a couple of days before, when they were already offering a lot of discount, but no one came in thinking it was a big brand, and discounts would be on selected items, and yes, there was no one shouting out their offers, so no one knew much about it. After two days when I passed by the same shop, I was not able to recognize it. The whole sphere underwent a transition. The shopkeepers brought out all their discounted items, hung them outside the shop and there were there to four men who were wailing out, "Buy 1 at 50% discount, and get another free...free...free!!" I asked the man if it was the same shop which is selling all this. He uttered, "ha didi, egulo sob sale ache..nie jaan".
This is the only time when Bengalis can get the best things at the least price, for everyone at home. The enticing charm of the Sale hauls every "dada", "boudi","pishima", "kaku","kakima" and even the kids from their homes. There was this woman in a red tant, with a 4-5 yr old child in hand and her husband who came to accompany her straight from office; his gloomy appearance, his attire and the bag behind him made it evident. "Duto sari 300taka!!!..sale sale sale!!" . It was magnetic. The woman also joined the crowd of buyers of "duto sari 300taka". They were selling cotton saris, and these days maids cannot be satisfied with synthetic ones. She too went with the same motive, I believe. Her negotiation skills were put to test now. The husband seemed to be okay with 300, but she would not give more than 240. It was ultimately settled at 250!
I was kept waiting outside a trial room for more than half an hour, because there was just one trial room in that floor and that one was occupied by a fat lady who carried more than 10dresses inside, and I believe she was not fitting into any of it. She became insane when she saw "Kurtis for 150/- only"!! So she had to fit into at least one of them. When I got a chance to enter, a middle aged woman asked if I would share the trial room with her!!!!!! No one ever asked me for such a thing. Then she insisted that it was the latest trend to share the trial room, if there is a long queue! I was even more shocked, I said a big NO and slammed the door on her face.
Despite all the commotion and pandemonium, Bengalis love to indulge in such improvised shopping. And finally the most awaited Nabo Barsho arrives when we flaunt our purchase!
