I stopped believing in advertisements completely.
When someone says, 'Hey, you get great stuff in that market. You must go there'. I go with great zeal, only to find pretty ordinary stuff there.
The big shops advertise, 'Fifty percent sale. Only five days'. By the time I reach the store,either all women have finished the stuff in one day or the store guys had me clearly fooled. Not one thing there to catch my eye. There may be plain,rough clothing loaded in a laundry box sort of container with SALE written in big letters over it.
Crawford market, the most sought after shoppers destination in Mumbai. Well, I went there several times too. Good if one buys whole sale stuff. But sadly often inferior quality. You must know where you get what you need. That means winding my way through narrow, smelly by lanes, waiting for an endless queue of impatient, honking car drivers to give way. Hey, that would take me an entire day.
Some big ads offer the freshest food stuff. But when I go there, I find the rottenest onions,stinkiest potatoes and so on. I feel like holding the guys by their collar and shaking them thoroughly. Now I gave up. No more of asking anyone's opinion on where I must shop.
My usual haunt in this Gujju dominated market is fine with me. They are pros in their trade. I give them my best smile as I enter their shop. Floored, they show me the latest designs. 'Aap ke liye sister?' 'Nahi.Inke liye', I say,pointing to my companion. 'Aap bhi lijiye na', he pleads. No whistling or smothered song emanating from the salesmen employed there. Fixed rate. Written in bold letters in every single shop. They won't bring one rupee down. Yet some of their stuff is really good.
So instead of traveling one hour away, to a cheaper destination, I would rather save my energy both bodily and petrol wise and buy stuff from where I want. The stuff lasts long, though slightly costlier. My logic may not make sense to avid bargainers. But I must ENJOY my shopping.
As for advertisements I don't believe in them any more. Personal judgement is the best. I feel the best stuff is often hidden, obscure. We need to gently probe, dig them out. I'm sure there's a wonderful obscure resort tucked away somewhere. Still unseen, untouched by those crazy advertisers. I want to tour this land and search them out one day. Those amazing artists,the awesome poets,those beautiful faces,that unique design....
So when I saw this ad on WB FB conglomerate yesterday, '1500 authors'...hmmmm I wondered. But knowing the guys out there, I know it's not just another advertisement ploy. Maybe this may well be my wish come true. That of touring the land....
