K VIJAY ANAND
Chennai, Oct 3:
With Navaratri just around the corner, the wholesale shops in and around Parry’s Corner have begun witnessing a steady rush as residents make a beeline for return gifts and decorative items for their kolu celebrations.
The bustling commercial area is currently drawing customers looking for everything from colourful decorative pieces and kumkum packets to blouse bits and other traditional return gifts. Shopkeepers say the Navaratri season has already begun to reflect in sales, with customers arriving in groups to purchase items in bulk.
“Customers have started coming in for kolu return gifts. Blouse bits, kumkum, small decorative articles and traditional gift items are moving well. Since most people need to buy these in larger quantities, they prefer the wholesale shops here,” said a shopkeeper in the Parry’s area.
Another shopkeeper said customers were increasingly looking for attractive yet affordable items. “People want the return gifts to look colourful and special without spending too much. We have different varieties and price ranges. As Navaratri gets closer, we expect the crowd to increase further,” he said.
For many customers, shopping in Parry’s has become a seasonal ritual ahead of Navaratri. “We come here every year to buy return gifts for the women who visit our kolu. There are plenty of choices and we can buy everything at one place. The blouse bits and kumkum are particularly useful as gifts,” said a customer who was shopping with her family.
Another customer said the variety available in the wholesale shops was the main attraction. “There are so many colourful decorative items that it becomes difficult to choose. We have to buy for several people, so the wholesale prices are helpful. The festive atmosphere has already started here,” she said.
Shopkeepers said the demand for traditional and utility-based return gifts remained strong, even as customers explored newer decorative options. The colourful display of goods outside the shops has added to the festive atmosphere, with the busy lanes of Parry’s already reflecting the arrival of the Navaratri season.
With the festival approaching, traders expect the rush to intensify in the coming days as families step up preparations for their kolu gatherings and begin finalising their return gifts.