Long queue lines, brimming malls sum up festive spirit

Visakhapatnam: Long queue lines at the billing counters, the trial rooms to the brim, moms on their toes assisting their children to pick up the right attire, dads eagerly wait to wrap up the shopping and clear the bills that pile up with each passing moment. Shopping malls, standalone stores and boutiques and jewellery stores in the city witness a brisk business as scores of shoppers prefer to hop on the brick and mortar stores mask-free and bring home their choice of brands. The bazaars too are bursting at the seams as people indulge in festival shopping. As the day progressed, the markets saw higher footfall.

'Sankranti', also known as 'Pedda Panduga' and 'Pongal', is the most celebrated festival among scores of people across various parts of the country. Although some communities usher in the harvest festival under different names, the celebration epitomises freshness and abundance. Buying new clothes has been an integral part of the three-day-long celebrations. Cashing in on the festive mood, several stores offer a large chunk of discounts to draw the attention of the customers. The malls and standalone stores have been decked up for the occasion.

After covid-induced lull, a number of retailers witnessed overwhelming volume of sales. With plenty of options available, shoppers paid a visit to multiple stores before zeroing in on their selection of products.

"After a long time, we did shopping like the pre-Covid times by visiting malls and standalone stores before picking up our favourite brands.

However, we ended up spending more time at the billing counter," shares V Raju, an employee working in a private organisation, who did shopping at VIP Road.