Chennai| 3D saris, ‘Alia’ cut kurtas and more on last minute shopping lists for Deepavali

Come Deepavali, and it is the city’s busiest shopping hub’s time to shine. From 3D saris to Alia cut kurtas, there’s much to choose from

At 11 am on Saturday, the excitement in the air is palpable in T Nagar. Outside the many big shops on Usman road ready to welcome a throng of people, snack shops and smaller jewellery sellers busily set up their wares. Mini samosas are neatly arranged in high piles, strategically located within an arm’s length from the chairs outside these shops meant for weary customers and their families who are waiting. 

A counter of plants greet customers making their way into Pothys; every customer can pick up a plant when they walk out. “Among our new releases for the festive season is the Vasundhara 3D sari,” says a salesperson, as he opens out a whole lot of silk saris to show off the 3D effect– thanks to the shimmery zari thread in a host of different colours. Tissue saris, in pastel shades and gold are all the rage this year, with lavender in particular, a favourite, he says. S Deepika, a customer who has made the pilgrimage all the way from Avadi, is excited. Phone in hand, she’s showing the salesperson a sari with a designer blouse.

“I saved this a while ago after coming across this pattern on an Instagram reel,” she says. Customers walking in with Instagram references, the salespersons manning the ground floor there, are aplenty. 

Films and television shows have for long influenced buyers especially around the festive season. Actor Gopika’s saris with tamil alphabets on it were all the rage after the 2004 Tamil film Autograph. Following the film Chandramukhi’s release, Jyotika’s ‘Chandramukhi Sari’, a range of saris in plain colours with gold borders took shoppers by storm. 

“This year again, a Jyotika sari is very popular. We had 30 pieces and all have sold out,” a staff at the store says. The sari, a gold and pink shimmery one was something she wore to the much covered Ambani wedding earlier this year.  The innovations don’t stop with Deepavali; their next creation is targetted at the wedding season, where couples can get their names embroidered on the bride’s silk saris.

At Jayachandran and Saravana stores nearby, the readymade sections have a throng of people. “We finished our sari purchases a while ago, to ensure we have the fall and blouses stitched. The weekend before diwali is reserved for shopping for the children in the family, and for readymade clothes,” says Aathmika N.  Having arrived in Usman road at 10.30 am, she details her plans for the day – to check out all the stores here, and make her way to Pondy Bazaar to grab lunch and make her way through the shops there as well. 

Even at the smaller shops along Pondy Bazaar, business is brisk. Velu at Five Stars Shopping Centre says ‘Alia’ cut kurtas, a design popularised by actor Alia Bhatt and anarkali cut kurtas continue to be fast sellers. “Short kurtis too, that can be worn everyday are preferred by college students,” he says.