The whole Chennai was up and alive there.... If you think most of the Chennai crowd hangs around on Marina, City Center, Satyam, Spencer's, Ranganathan Street, Pondy Bazaar or Mylapore... you are wrong.
It’s been many years since I went there. I think I had been there somewhere in early 90’s. Nothing has changed through the times for this Trade Fair at Island Grounds...
The two wheeler parking was full and packed. Lengthy queues for entry tickets. I could see people celebrating such an event, with family and friends, with their shopping bags in hand and refreshing themselves with Karumbu juice or some snacks.
A huge arch welcomes you to the “34th India Tourist and Industrial Fair”. Once you enter inside and walk through along the side of the parking lot there’s another entry point with counters for buying entry ticket.
A huge hoarding is displayed there against Child Labor which gives a good impression. With lakhs of people visiting everyday, such message will surely reach the masses to provide awareness.
Before you could be happy, there comes the first stall in front of which there is a petty shop selling some plastic goods. The seller is … an young boy. What a contrast!!
Next comes a “small watch kadai” selling watches with “Discound Sale” (watch the spelling!). Again…. It’s another young boy. Donno whether he is within the age limit of Child labor. But am sure he may not be the owner of the shop or his son. Is it a Fair Trade at the Trade Fair???
There are some good entertainments like Ghost Show, Mickey mouse show, Magic show etc., which children enjoy a lot.
Just walk through… you find a petty shop again… selling everything including Gutkha, Pan Parag, Hans and what not….
Knowingly, one can’t miss out the big Appalam with Chilly Powder and the great Molaga Bajji in the Trade Fair. There are couple of shops selling hot hot Appalams and Molaga Bajjis. A Feast, indeed.
Entire place gets illuminated when the sunset starts. It was just great to see the Coovum passing by, on which a small bridge is done up for people to walk on. What a sight! Imagining what would the Coovum be thinking of the people who spoiled it.
Good to see people totally forgotten their worries and enjoying the rides on Giant wheel and other things.
There are some good stalls and displays by various Government departments. Well done and explaining about the various activities of the Government.
Co-optex
Department of Industries
HR & CE (There's a huge board explaining the 19 months achievements of the present Govt)
Rural Development
Department of Police
Reserve Bank of India
Hey don’t miss that mini 'Chicku Bukku Rayilu' to go around the island ground.
Good & economical entertainer for a family outing!
Saravanan...
ReplyDeleteSpelling mistakes is one of the first things that sends laughter in me.
You can find many ways to write
Vulcanising, by seeing boards of
these shops. Puncher, Pancher,
Valcanising, Volcanising, ...etc.
I wonder how these owners and
managers get to approve these
boards before they get to appear.
That Shop owner must have been a
Malayalee?.
A Phony Fax sent to the Kentucky
Correctional & Psychiatric centre
in USA( Apr2k7), from the Kentucky
State Supreme court contained lot
of spelling mistakes, I beleive.
The Jail Director had told
reporters that "usually court
documents contain lot of such
spelling mistakes". This in
america and an english country.
The funny part of this Fax is
that, it was sent from a grocery
store, not supreme court, to get
the person released.
www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18251472/
and the child labour:
I stayed at Niagarara falls for a couple of days in May 1995 and during this stay, I used to eat at an Indian Restaurant run by a sardaji. One of his daughters used to take orders and serve me. On the last day, she was missing. I asked for her and was told that "She hurt herselves while cutting some vegetables". I asked them "Well a
Doctor can take care, what is the big deal about it". He replied
"No, No, she is under-aged, She should not be working here and also she is not an employee. If
we go to doctors nearby and not known to us, the govt will somehow
come to know of it and we will be in soup. So we have taken her to
a far off place, where one of our
friend is a doctor".
The Laws are doctored in everywhere. The America that is today has come through all this and we are still in our infant stages. Give it a time.
Did u go to the Book Exhibition,
last sunday being the last day?.
Molagai Bhajjiki Jai!
k.v.raj
(Varadaraj.K
kvraj@cadetindia.com)
Nice write-up...miss these things from the school days. The trade fairs and the "Temple Ther" were not-to-be-missed outings!
ReplyDeleteI really liked this point:
ReplyDelete"
Before you could be happy, there comes the first stall in front of which there is a petty shop selling some plastic goods. The seller is … an young boy. What a contrast!!
"
I wonder whom we should complain to when we see such things in a government-run trade fair! People seem to be satisfied with sound bites, instead of realizing that real action should be taken.
குழந்தை தொழிலாளர் முறை என்று பெயர் பலகையோடு மட்டும் தான் செயலில் இல்லை நல்ல அரசாங்கம்
ReplyDelete