KUALA LUMPUR: Traders in the Klang Valley have their hands full as customers come to do their Deepavali shopping.
At the Bukit Jalil National Sports Complex where the Deepavali Carnival 2019 is taking place, shoppers could be seen checking out the latest saree fashions, beauty accessories and jewellery, home decoration items, and sweets and desserts, from more than 50 booths.
Owner of Sacnite Seduction booth Kogilla Devi Vinayagam was busy entertaining customers who came to check out accessories that had been picked individually from all over India.
Her accessories are sold at prices ranging from RM10 to RM1,000.
“We have necklaces, set together with earrings from Kolkata, or headpieces brought originally from Jaipur, as well as ruby necklaces and earrings from North India.
“I travel to India at least six to seven times every year, to source for the latest trends,” she said.
Kogilla added that she observed the latest trends in India and especially the accessories worn by actresses in movies.
“So far, I have sold two full stands of earrings here.
“They are highly sought after the same design was seen in Baahubali,” she said.
Kogilla also offers new and in-trend designs, such as the exact replicas of a headpiece worn by Deepika Padukone in Bajirao Mastani.
For the Deepavali season, Kogilla manages two physical stores, one each in Klang Sentosa and Brickfields.
Meanwhile, Digpal (M) Sdn Bhd had three booths selling homemade sweets, including ladoo, jalebi, carrot halwa and barfi.
Its owner Rajkinder Kaur said the sweets, which were sold at RM10 per 100 gram and RM15 per 200 gram, were normally sold out before 10pm.
Rajkinder who operates a shop in Brickfields, also sells imported desserts from Punjab, India. At the carnival, she was assisted by her two teenage sons.
The Deepavali Carnival 2019 in Bukit Jalil is on until Oct 26.
In the Jalan Masjid India area in Kuala Lumpur, visitors can shop for traditional garments, including accessories for the ladies, and also flowers for prayers, at Ladies Park Shop.
One of the workers, who wanted to be known as Ilmudeen, said preparations for the festive occasion this year took place about one-and-half month earlier, in terms of preparing stocks and staff on the ground.
“We have been doing Deepavali sales for a month now. This will be our last week.”
The shop sells head-to-toe accessories and all types of traditional garments such as saree, kurta, cotton shirts, churidar, and lungi.
Ilmudeen said female garments like saree and churidar were hot items, while for menswear, it was lungi mixed with short sleeves cotton shirt, and kurta.
At Little India in Brickfields, fashion shop Bollywood Fashion & Fashion Jewellery sells a wide range of popular fashion designs for the whole family.
These include sarees with gold and luxurious detailings for special occassion, as well as suits for men.
Shopkeeper Abdul Kader Abdul Kapor said the shop was frequented by locals of different races as well as foreigners.
“We imported our clothes from Bombay and Chennai in India about two months ago.
“We have the latest fashions as well those off-season items from last year, which we sell at half price,” he added.
Abdul Kader said cotton and raw silk lengha were a hit with visitors who buy it for their children.
He said his shop also offered on-the-spot alteration services.
”Our clothes range from RM10 to RM1,000.”
For home decorations, Newmalliga Enterprise Sdn Bhd has ready-made kolam decorations called Rangoli Kolam on Sticker System which sells for less than RM50.
Shopkeeper Elango Massilamany said users now like to choose the modern types of kolam, as it was less tiring and time consuming to do.
“The kolam comes with floral and peacock motifs, among others,” he added.
The shop also sells 4D hanging decorations for homes.