Venturing into the heart of Saravana Stores
A year ago, I was wondering, in ignorance, at the mystery of some things.
A year later, much of the mystery remains, yet some of that sarcasm vanishes.
Despite the holiday crowd and all, a month ago, I went to visit Saravana Stores on a Saturday afternoon with no particular list or agenda other than idle curiosity. The place has some eight floors, a basement that may or may not have been counted in the eight, and hundreds of employees. Also two huge elevators that can hold at least fifteen people but for our Indian practice of attempting to squeeze more out of everything. So yeah, you might find yourself being flooded by breath while you are breathless. Packed like sardines is the expression I think…
Onto the crux now. Saravana Stores must be visited. So all you Lavanya-like skeptical folks out there who squirm at the very mention of this store, drop that disdain and make a visit. Yes the place is crowded, particularly on weekends, particularly during holidays. Yes, being packed in an elevator is not all fun, but you can always take the staircase. Yes mass produce at the cheapest rates, but not all the stuff is cheap.
When you get into Saravana Stores, they want to make sure you buy something. End to end needs – a floor for men’s clothes, a floor for the women, one for the children, one for steel and plastics, one for cosmetics and shoes, but do you expect one for vegetables and fruits thrown in somewhere in the middle? And do you expect to find large coconuts priced at Rs.4?
You’ll find all sorts of things being sold at this place. There is a little something that every person can find use for. For instance, you remember those famous mosquito bats? The ones that were a sensation in town for the last several months until the scorching heat solved the problem. Well, Saravana Stores made a killing out of selling those bats. I suspect that could be said for several of their products.
Worth a visit, if only to shake your head at the mystery of some things.
Saravana Hospitals – lets assume it is started
ஸ்னேஹா விளம்பரம் – “ஜொலிக்குதே ! ஜொலி ஜொலிக்குதே”
“வலிக்குதே ! வலி வலிக்குதே! முட்டி முழங்கால் வலிக்குதே !”
சரவணா ஸ்டோர்ஸ் – ஒரு Knee hole surgery, மார்க்கெட் விலையை விட ஏழாயிரம் குறைவு. ஆடித்தள்ளுபடியாக இலவச Root Canal சலுகை !
மாமி 1 : “இந்த தீபாவளிக்கு என்ன ஸ்பெஷல் ?”
மாமி 2 : “இதோ ! கழுத்தை பாத்தியோன்னோ ! சரவணால போய் செர்விகல் ஸ்பான்டிலிடிஸ் ட்ரீட்மென்ட் எடுத்துண்டேன்.. இந்த முத்து நெக்லஸ் ஃப்ரீ !”..
—-
:P he he ! blame it on the summer. :)
Saravana stores. I guess you are mentioning about the new saravana store bang on panagal park.
The other store really sucks this part of the year. Stories and stories of meerchandise that are jam packed with people throughout, but no AC. You have to park your car in panagal parkk and walk all over – like a half a KM. And you almost havee to take the stairs since, as you mentioned, people pack themselves into lifts into spaces even cattle wouldn’t. All this when the oustide temperature is making records. It is sweltering – to say the least.
But I still go there when it comes to purchase of big items – like TV, Fridges, cellphones etc for whch you almost certainly have a 1000 to Rs. 2000 price difference compared to other stores. But for small things I wouldn’t venture in Saravana stores even in my wildest dreams.
Do the sell oxygen tanks at the entrance?
Tuesdays…. The auspicious day for shopping at any T. Nagar establishment.
Thank you to every one who considers it inauspicious, and stays away that day. It is so much less crowded that some of a the big stores even experimented with making it a holiday; but, in the end, they seem to have decided that there is enough business to stay open.
Take advantage!
Could have been worse: think P*thys…