Bonjour, new guests from small-town India
Puneet Dhawan of Accor is brimming with ideas on ways to revive the hospitality sector
Loves books, music and the sound of strange words. Is excited about meeting people in their own homes. Believes the language of communication exists beyond words. Enjoys engaging with young people and occasionally takes a shot at writing for them.
The clearing up of Pondy Bazaar’s pavements evokes mixed feelings. Some, who have felt intimidated by the crush and jostle of what many believe is the ultimate shopping experience, are relieved – not that that’s any guarantee they will ever shop there. Others, who thrive on the frenzy-driven activity of looking and comparing and picking and choosing, feel the city has lost an identity marker. While I wonder how the hawkers will deal with their new home which, according to newspaper accounts, they appear to have taken to quite amiably, I also feel less claustrophobic.
Pondy Bazaar was always a shopper’s haven, even back in my schooldays. At the drop of a hat my tiny grandmother would hang an LG perungayam bag on her arm and take off, usually in the middle of the afternoon, and return triumphantly laden with knicks and knacks mostly of the provisions kind, on a cycle ricksha. We kids would be given an occasional treat by an older sibling or kindly aunt: sometimes a movie at Rajkumari theatre, sometimes saathukudi juice at the corner Andhra Killi shop. Another favourite was the photo studio that sold 120 ASA Indu film to experiment with on my dad’s box camera.
Yes, Pondy holds many memories.
A friend who had moved to the US after marriage visited after several years of being away. It was a nostalgia trip of sorts as we strolled through Pondy Bazaar, reliving the years of going up and down this busy street that had gone busier through our college years and now was bursting at the seams. It was summer, and we were licking at orange stick-ices.
When she was done, she said, “Appa! I can do this only here!” and she dropped the wrapper right there on the pavement outside Salam Stores. I was outraged. But she wouldn’t listen to my protestations. “No way I can do this in America, man,” she said. “This is freedom!”
This is freedom?!
Puneet Dhawan of Accor is brimming with ideas on ways to revive the hospitality sector
Citroen’s first vehicle sports a novel design and European interiors. It is also meant to be as comfortable as ...
The pandemic is only the tip of the iceberg that the country’s cash-poor airlines — both regional and national ...
The government is yet to specify the framework of its recently announced old vehicle scrappage policy
With initial public offerings galore, we give you a cheat sheet to score some good grades
Biggest risk in selling funds in a rising scenario is exiting early and missing out on further gains
Go for a standard vector-borne diseases policy if you don’t have a regular health plan
No credit risk is an attraction, but note the nuances
With the public looking beyond mainstream media for reports from the ground, independent digital platforms are ...
While Supreme Court has cleared the way for women seeking longer tenures and senior roles in the Indian Army, ...
Mughal Gardens in the Capital open to visitors — albeit with Covid-19 protocol — for the annual Udyanotsav
Salty, buttery, cheese coated or with maple syrup and bacon — popcorn is lending its adaptable self to gourmet ...
Its name is the starting point of a brand’s journey and can make a big difference in the success sweepstakes
Sober spirits are the in thing
A peek into where ad spends went last year and where they are headed tomorrow
Can Swiggy Instamart disrupt the ecommerce groceries space, currently ruled by the Amazons and Big Baskets? ...
Three years after its inception, compliance with GST procedures remains a headache for exporters, job workers ...
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives of companies are altering the prospects for wooden toys of ...
Aequs Aerospace to create space for large-scale manufacture of toys at Koppal
And it has every reason to smile. Covid-19 has triggered a consumer shift towards branded products as ...
Please Email the Editor