Eid Gifts For Home

One of the times when I can go crazy is when AZ and I shop for sarees as gifts. And that too, especially at my all-time favourite saree place at Jewel Palace. I just love buying sarees here (and am a really happy shopper when I have to buy several at one time).

The sarees there may actually be not that different. But what really makes me return to that one and only place over and over again is the atmosphere at their second level – once I am there, I am just given a space to patiently choose and mull over the saree designs that the service staff bring down from the shelves, according to my multiple requests on colours and prices.

And since whenever we decide to send sarees as gifts, we always have a good number to buy (for AZ’s aunties and their daughters included), this kind of service really pleases me.

But for the first time, I was disappointed. We headed out early enough, at about 11-ish as we wanted to avoid the Sunday crowd. When we made our way to the second level, the service staff first enquired about the place the people we were buying the sarees were from. Once AZ replied, he told us that the sarees that the womenfolk at that place wear are at the second level.

I was a little confused, cos I have never heard that before in all the times that I have been there – and to buy sarees for the same people from the same place.

He even went on to explain that he was concerned that our money would be wasted if they didn’t like what we bought. AZ smiled at me and said we should just head  to the first level.

We did. And after we bought some and were walking to our next point, I was quick to rant with AZ on my disappointment. He smiled again. And then he explained why that man actually behaved that way. It was only around 11 am and the shop has just opened for business – which means he was probably arranging his items and taking stock  (AZ said this is the practice always).

But I was still disappointed! So much for moving towards a service-driven culture here. But it is still my favourite saree place. Just one ‘lazy’ staff and just one incident out of the many nice experiences should not change my opinion of Jewel Palace so quickly, should it?

With that, here are some shots of some of the sarees we boughts and other gifts for Father-in-Law. There were a couple  of other selections that we didn’t have time to take photos of. AZ sent them off to the brother whom I have mentioned about here, immediately after sending me home that afternoon (as he was leaving that evening and in-laws were returning soon too).