Sunny side up, Kolkata shoppers scramble to stalls & malls for final picks on last Sun before puja

Kolkata: With rain giving a respite on the last Sunday before Puja—that coincided with Mahalaya—shoppers streamed into Gariahat, Hatibagan and New Market, besides malls for last-minute festive purchases. Jam-packed markets brought cheer to traders and roadside vendors. "Yesterday (Saturday), rain played spoilsport for our business. But today, customers started flocking in large numbers post-noon," said Suman Saha, a hawker at Gariahat. New Market experienced a significant surge in visitors' footfall. Many shoppers like Samarprita Kunda, a student from Howrah, were conducting the last round of their festive shopping. Similarly, Madhurima Roy, a Baguiati resident, was elated to have managed some time off her busy schedule to purchase ornaments and accessories for jazzing up her puja outfits.Another shopper from Madhyamgram revealed how she had to postpone her shopping plan by a day due to the Saturday rain. MD Sameer, a hawker who runs a garment shop, shared that even though the sales were lower than last year, Mahalaya day earned them good fortune. Sellers at Hatibagan, like Prasenjit Das, were equally elated at the sight of a bustling market.Malls were also packed. "We witnessed a strong response from our patrons on Sunday at Acropolis Mall, with many completing their puja shopping. We are also expecting a significant turnout in the coming week as several new films are set to release," said Subhadip Basu, corporate general manager, retail and hospitality of Merlin Group that owns the mall. "South City Mall has witnessed record-breaking footfall and sales. While apparel continues to lead growth this puja as the top-performing category, a remarkable shift has been seen with food & beverage now contributing over 30% of overall festive sales," said Amit Kumar, executive director, South City Mall. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Solar Eclipse 2025, date and visibility!