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Shopping habba

Good buy
Last Updated 17 May 2009, 15:30 IST

The area outside the terminal building had the hustle-bustle of a bazaar. No wonder, the passengers, both at the arrival and the departure terminal of the BIAL, wore a confused look. Some thought that the bride and groom were being sent off on their honeymoon after a big fat wedding; others assumed that a politician is being greeted by his overzealous supporters, pre-empting his victory, a day before the counting!

The month-long shopping festival that began at the Bengaluru International Airport on May 15 doesn’t have the usual trappings or hubbubs of a typical commercial festival but it does try to promote Karnataka in a big way.

Aimed at passengers and also visitors, who come to the airport on their weekend outings, the festival has a host of discounts and promotions around the airport shopping area and in the food and beverage section.  

The placement of a carriage, replica of the Golden Chariot outside the terminal building depicting the restaurant area on the one side and a typical bedroom with accessories on the other, provides a good idea of the opulence that a trip on this luxury train would entail.
An imitation of the Stone Chariot at Hampi has been specially created and placed inside the terminal building to give an insight about the rich architecture of the bygone era.
 The common plaza area outside the terminal building has been transformed to provide a glimpse of Hoysala architecture depicting Karnataka’s royal heritage.

A typical village scene has been created to house State supported corporations. On entering the plaza, one encounters the hostesses from the Karnataka Tourism looking elegant in sarees, armed with information on everything.     

As they spell out every possible destination, the aroma of coffee wafts from the Coffee Board stall where some visitors were being given the taste of different brews.
Leather jackets, shoes, ladies footwear, bags and wallets aptly priced between Rs 300 and Rs 3,500 are available at Lidkar (Leather Industry of Karnataka).
 ‘‘Our leather is genuine and yet we sell at a very reasonable price,’’ says a representative at the Lidkar stall. Similarly, sandalwood and bronze figurines,agarbatthis, carpets exhibited at the Karnataka Handicrafts Development Corporation pavilion are ideal for those looking for items of home decorations.

However, the biggest crowd-puller is the stall put up by Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation, where silk sarees ranging from Rs 10 thousand to Rs 1 lakh 93 thousand are on display. The unique feature of the most costly saree is that it is made of golden threads. It also has silver brocades and swarovski crystals engraved on it. Designed by Deepika Govind, the saree weighs 1 kg 250 gms.

And for those who are tempted to buy the stuff, there is a discount of 25 per cent to make the offer more attractive.

As one takes a tour of the stalls, the performances by local folk artistes continue in the open area at the centre;  visitors queue up at the food counter to buy savouries while passengers, tired after a long journey, elbow through the crowd to stop a taxi.  

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(Published 17 May 2009, 15:30 IST)

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