4 days ago
Clearwater hosts Indian festival market
Clearwater Mall transformed its upper-level parking area into a vibrant celebration of Indian culture with the launch of the Made in India Market on 1 August. Open daily from 10:00 to 21:00 until 17 August, the market welcomes shoppers from all walks of life for just a R10 entrance fee.
The market showcases traditional goods, festive treats, and cultural treasures straight from India, as all exhibitors are Indian export manufacturers. As you walk through the stalls, exquisite Indian clothing, suitable for the whole family, decorates the stalls, ranging from embroidered Sarees, lehengas, and salwar suits for women, tailored sherwanis, kurta sets, and Nehru jackets for men, and bright silks and sequins for children.
According to Amit Dev Chopra, the market organiser, they have been doing exhibitions in South Africa since 2006, and they receive a lot of love from South Africans, which is the reason why they have kept the relationship for more than 20 years.
'It's like our second home,' he said. 'We have these markets in almost 25 countries, including other African countries like Botswana and Maputo. South Africa is one of the biggest African nations in which we have the maximum number of Indians,' Amit said.
To make sure they make clothes that are currently in style, Amit shared that they do research and development to find out what the latest fashion trends are, and then they manufacture those styles and ship them to other countries.
'Before, people used to go to India to buy things for their weddings and other celebrations, but now they don't travel because you can find everything at our exhibition, as we've got exhibitors from all over India,' Amit expressed.
Apart from fashion, the market caters to every aspect of Diwali preparations. Visitors can browse ornate puja items, brass lamps, diya sets, incense, and prayer accessories. Handcrafted home décor, intricate jewellery, and colourful tableware can also be found at the market.
Speciality stalls offer everything needed for Indian households and ceremonies, including spices, dried fruits, decorative rangoli powders, and garlands.
Food is also a highlight, as four chefs have come to prepare and fill the space with the aroma of freshly made samosas, jalebi, and mutton and chicken biryani. Shoppers can also treat themselves and enjoy authentic Indian street food and have a taste of the top trending savoury-sweet at the moment, which is the pani puri, also known as water bowl or flavoured water.
