Obsessed with malls

Favourite place

There's something about malls that make the young frequent them with unalloyed enthusiasm. They love the sight, sound and smell of malls so much that they shop, eat, watch movies and hang out there round the clock. In fact there are those who restrict shopping to some rubbernecking and enjoy the other things that malls hold for them.

 This breed of people have forgotten what good old Brigade Road and Commercial Street look like. They look up to malls as destinations of wholesome entertainment. A wide array of food, the best of brands and the latest from the world of cinema — the things on offer are enough to put claustrophobia miles away.

There are among the young, regulars who go to their favourite malls once every day. They swear that they’d shop only at malls. Metrolife caught up with a few youngsters across the City who hang out at malls as often as they can and are ready to give just about anything to be there whenever possible.

Arun Kumar, a first year student of Ramaiah Institute of Management, says he saves up money to be at the malls at least thrice a week. It’s the ambience he likes and the crowds don’t bother him much. “I slip into my own world when I am at malls. There’s so much to see around and if you have enough money then you can go to any extent to have fun,” he says.

Varsha N of St Joseph’s College of Commerce agrees with Arun. She says that she has to be there at the malls at least twice during the week days and practically lives there on weekends.

While some youngsters tug along their parents, others choose to hang out with a bunch of friends. “There’s no fun going alone. It’s nice to be out there with a big gang. There’s a lot of scope for entertainment and fun. I don’t shop much but simply hanging out with friends is a pleasure in itself,” says Ashwini Satish, a second year BBM student at Centre for Management Studies.

Soodaba, a final year Arts student at Mount Carmel College buys most of her clothes only from malls. She says it’s better than walking through the dusty Brigade Road and Commercial Street. Shariq Rafeek of St Joseph’s College of Commerce confesses he goes to malls just because his friends compel him to. “I am not keen on hanging out at malls. My friends practically live there so I just go with the flow,” he wraps up.