Friday, September 26, 2008

RE-VISITING INDIA IN THE US




So we all know how popular curry is in the UK and that Canada and the United States have a huge Indian population. But how often have you seen hand-made posters saying '3 sarees for $100' or 'Buy 2 salwar kameez for $100' and '3 for $90'? These are common sights in India, but rest assured, this does happen in the United States also.
And it's not only in India that you try on the attire you want to purchase in India at a semi-posh store. Lo and behold, if you visit an Indian fair here, at times you will see Indian mothers coaxing their daughters to try a kurta on top of their t-shirt and jeans. If like me, you have lived in India for some time, you will find it interesting to watch how similar people's tendencies can be - despite being brought up in two absolutely different countries.
What really caught my attention is how some people had actually simply heaped their clothes in a big haphazard pile. And men and women sift through them, pick them, look at them from top to bottom, imagine how it would look on them and then just drop in the heap to pick another one. So whether you are in Karol Bagh or a crowded market in Ahmedabad or Santacruz market of Mumbai or at an Indian fair/ mela in the US, the common threads of shopping are woven strong and deep to travel across continents. And then comes the food part. That too is replicated a la Indian style. Bottles of Limca and Thums Up are just kept in big-tall containers with ice.
What attracts me to these Indian fairs is getting an opportunity to see these unique things - how some really basic Indian characteristics are there, along with the westernized theme - like 'Learn Punjabi or Kannada or Gujarati in 30 days'.

1 comment:

Anastácio Soberbo said...

Hello, I like this blog.
Sorry not write more, but my English is not good.
A hug from Portugal