Shopping fervor at Sarakki on the eve of Ganesha festival

Myself, my wife and her sister in law  went for  festival shopping  on the  eve of  Gowri Ganesha  festival  to Sarakki area near Banashankari vegetable market.  We  went a  day earlier, to ensure we get a good bargain.  It was a little early in the evening and the shopper’s were trickling in.  

We could  see  different variety of flowers in all its hues and colors beckoning us to pick them and transferred us into the pre – festive mood.  It  was as if  all the different colors of flowers were sent down to earth, in anticipation of the  arrival of  Lord Ganesha  on  Monday. 

In  what other way we mere mortals can celebrate the festival  other than decking the god  with variety of colorful flowers like Savantige, Mallige, Sugandha raja, Rosu,  chendu hoova , kanakambra and variety of fruits of all shapes and sizes. ( flower names are kannada names of the flowers)

Most of the shopper’s were hardened value pickers.  They may be buying only 250 grams of one variety of flower but they will inquire at five different locations along a one kilometer route. Finally they decide to buy at one place and the moment the flowers are being weighed, they glance on the other side of the road and the same flower appears more brighter there. They are in two minds and the impatience of the husband makes them to finish the deal there itself.  For the husbands all the side appears  green and  rosy, since he is watching all the flower buyers sorry all  the  flowers.

The festivals are a great leveler for all the sections of the society. Some may buy. less quantity of items and some more quantity but the spirit of the  festival remains the same.  The entire city gets engulfed in the festival mood.  Bal  Gangadhar  Tilak was instrumental in converting a private household Ganesh chaturthi celebrations into a gala public  event.  The beauty of the festival is it brings all people together.

I observed  so many sellers, some selling only betel nuts,  some selling one type of flower, some all types of flowers, some different varieties of fruits  but all of them having a  gleam in their eyes in expectation of making a decent money  and  able to celebrate in their own small way, the festival back at their home with their family.

Wishing  everyone  a happy weekend and a great festival. Do not worry about gulping more modaks, Lord Ganesha likes people being a little plumpy.

Signing of in anticipation of Modaks.