Priyadarshini Market

MARKETS, BHUBANESWAR Updated : Apr 24, 2017, 01.43 PM IST

Sugato Tripathy

An ex banker, currently a B-school professor, travel writer, amateur photographer and an eternal beach lover with a view that "Life is Short & the World is Wide". Hailing from the beautiful city of Bhubaneswar, he has travelled extensively in India and has explored places in Thailand, Malaysia, Maldives, Seychelles, Italy, Philippines and Western Australia. His expertise lies in providing travel experiences, destination tips and featured guides. His idea of "nirvana" is to vegetate on the beach or wander aimlessly in the mountains. You can check out his photo essays at http://www.tripography.in

The concept of malls is not new. The idea of having different categories of shops along with dining options is not new. In fact the first ‘mall’ of Bhubaneswar is Priyadarshini Market Complex. It’s a ‘mall’ without central air conditioning, underground parking, swanky outlets, modern escalators, aesthetically designed interiors and exclusive showrooms. It’s an old venerable structure with numerous outlets across its decrepit floors. What makes it work is not only the variety of products and services available, but also the humane touch which is sorely missing in the newly evolved mall culture. You are not just another customer when you visit a shop here. You are a potential lifetime visitor to that shop and you get treated the same way. Many loyal customers find out reasons to visit this complex just to catch up with the friendly shopkeepers. Few of them spend hours together watching cricket matches on the small TV sets in the shops. From vegetable vendors, fruit stalls, fast food joints, groceries, stationeries to mobile outlets, electronics repair shops, courier service, watches, departmental stores, apparels (especially sarees and dresses) and even a pet shop, Priyadarshini Market sells almost everything. Loyalists to this market swear by its shops and shopkeepers.
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