Thousands throng stalls as festival nears

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THE excitement surrounding Deepavali can be clearly felt at the bazaar here along Jalan Ungku Puan in Johor Baru where thousands of revellers come to shop for the celebrations.

The aromas of freshly made cookies and flowers, and the beat of songs from the latest Indian movies add to the festive atmosphere, especially in the week leading up to the Festival of Lights which falls on Wednesday.

Revellers throng the bazaar to purchase anything from Deepavali decorations and cards to colourful traditional Indian apparel to wear during the special day.

Myriad choices: A family choosing from a wide array of Deepavali decorations.

Student, R. Sasidharan said that a visit to the bazaar was a must every year for the shopping, the added bonus of people-watching and to just enjoy the atmosphere.

“My family and I visit the Deepavali bazaar every year and I always feel happy when I see so many people excitedly purchasing items for the celebrations,” he said.

He added that squeezing through the crowds of people and haggling for the best deals was all part of the shopping experience and a must to feel the Deepavali mood.

Some bling: Visitors looking at some of the costume jewellery.

Shoppers like Sasidharan are spoilt for choice at the bazaar, which boasts hundreds of stalls that sell all sorts of items related to the festivities.

Vishal Singh, 25, the attendant at an Indian apparel stall, said that business is usually brisk especially during the last few days before Deepavali.

“We sometimes have to close our shop at 3am due to the large crowds of people who visit the bazaar,” he said.

Tasty: A cook frying a fresh batch of banana fritters at the bazaar.

He added that people from all over Malaysia, Singapore and even Bangkok had visited his shop this year.

Meanwhile, Johor Indian Business Association president P. Sivakumar said that the yearly Deepavali bazaar which was started more than 17 years ago had shown great improvement over the years.

“This year, we have more than 100 traders involved in the bazaar and most of them are doing brisk business due to a steady number of local and Singaporean visitors,” he said.