Bangles and more
A friend of mine got married a couple of weeks ago. In preparation for the wedding, there were plenty of shopping activities that were planned, agonized, exclaimed over and executed. One of these shopping expeditions was to Prince Plaza on Pantheon Road, Egmore. When my friend mentioned that we were going there to buy bangles, I told her we should probably go to Ranganathan street or Pondy Bazaar because we will have several shops to choose from and not head out to Egmore with bags full of silk sarees (because we had to match bangle to saree). In response she just said, wait and watch.
Watch I did, with my mouth wide open, because spread across three floors of Prince Plaza were various branches of a single brand/shop called Dream’s Come True. I must have counted at least seven such shops in that complex and we went into four or five. Most of these branches were purely bangles (one for just glass, one for metal that looks like glass, one for fancy, chunky stuff) and one was a pottu kadai, another for necklaces, chains, beads and I simply cannot remember the rest.
The metal bangle shop had row upon row of bangles in the prettiest of designs and the rarest of colours. Not much of a bangle wearer myself, I was still quite dazed and I must admit, a little tempted, at such a sight. The glass bangle shop was no different and believe me when I say that the days of glass bangles meaning just plain ones are long gone. It was impossible to make out the difference between metal and glass unless the assistant told you what it was (unless of course you were adventurous enough to drop it).
We spent well over two hours in that complex – she spent it choosing and I spent it gaping – and came out with several cartons of perfectly matching stuff. I never realized bangles were such big business in Chennai.
Pic:stolen gratefully from Pandiyan
Lavanya. Thats good to know. Next time friends come from overseas and want to know eher to go for bangles, I know exactly where to take them! Funny though, I’ve been to Prince Plaza quite a few times and not noticed the bangle shops. Typical male thing I guess, very focused on what one is looking for, and then getting out of there!
No pics :-(
There is something similar in Bangalore in Jayanagar complex also.
Great Fun!
Definitely on my list for foreign visitors, too.
Unfortunately my wife doesn’t wear bangles, or we’d be off there this afternoon!
Or maybe that should be ‘fortunately’!
They are quite lovely bangles, aren’t they? I’ve got to replenish my stock. :)
hey thnx for suggesting tht place… cos couple of my friends are getting married in next few months n they’d asked me to accocmpany me for shopping…. never knew tht this place would ve sucha huge place for this…. newwys the shop, jhillmill in pondy bazaar has also got some cool collections of bangles… lil expensive thou… infact if u land up at sowcarpet anytime…, there are shops with real beautiful n awesome collection of bangles… prices are also not tht costly., but the stratergy of bargaining works well there.
hi, i’m looking for beads…can anyone suggest me a place to go in Chennai to find good supply of beads?