Srinagar, June 10: Amid melodious music concerts in the landscaped lawns, Srinagar Development Authority’s prestigious shopping plaza –Sangarmaal City centre –witnessed a new life Sunday as thousands thronged the place marking beginning of the festival.
 On day one around 30,000 people including tourists made it to Sangarmaal Shopping Festival, which offers exhibition of historic artifacts, sale of rare handicrafts, besides discount offers on routine shopping of items like apparels, crockery and jewelry.
 It’s the first ever festival at the state-of- the-art shopping complex inaugurated on June 5, 2010 by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who had termed it the best mall in the City.
 The shopkeepers said the sales remained phenomenal on the first day of the event. “Business remained really good. And to attract more of customers we are offering discounts,” said the man who runs Shagun, a ladies garments shop at the mall.
 Almost all the shops remained abuzz with customers many of whom didn’t miss to take pictures in the fashionable mall, which has ample parking space.
 A major attraction of the event remained exhibition of rare traditional Kashmiri artifacts by prominent educationist Ateeqa Banu.
 The crowds went nostalgic about the past by looking at things like Doli, locally called Zampaan and jewelry and clothing of the past.
 All such items will remain open for public everyday from 10 am to 10 pm daily, the organizers said.
 Engineer HF Durrani of Peerbagh said it was his first visit to the mall. “I am really amazed and will surely bring my family along here again,” he said while relishing ice-cream at the outlet run by Baskin and Robins.
 Many of the customers were curious to know about the start of a mega exhibition of exotic attires – Finesse of Traditions – the lifesize hoardings of which could be seen there. Its organizers said the exhibition branded clothing was likely to start Tuesday.
 Meanwhile the SDA people had kept elaborate arrangements for parking, power backup and other support facilities including escalators.
 Officials said the festival was likely to continue for around a fortnight.
 The SDA VC while making a round of the shopping festival didn’t miss to visit every shop and asked the shopkeepers to make the best use of the event by throwing “discount offers in real sense”.
 “Customers should feel satisfied that the shopping remained a good deal because ultimately it will reflect your conduct as a businessman,” he told the shopkeepers asking them to put on discount stickers on their glass facades.
 Meanwhile at the musical concert apart from prominent singers, upcoming talent was given a chance to perform on the stage. The entry to the live concerts and the shopping festival is free.
 The Shaam-e-Gazal program and various substantial music items will be part of the event till 21 of this month in the  open theater at Sangarmaal lawns which has been decorated with fountains with the background music mesmerizing thousands visitors.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 10 Jun 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 10 Jun 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 11 Jun 2012 00:00:00 IST