Shoppers ignore call of the mall

Very few throng restaurants, vehicle showrooms too

It was low-key Dasara shopping in Hyderabad on Saturday as very few people thronged malls, restaurants and vehicle showrooms. The few exceptions were the budget retailers who offered big discounts on their stocks, apart from jewellery showrooms.

At an upscale mall near Botanical Gardens, very few shoppers were seen. The only place that had some buzz was the dining area.

Dasara is also the festival during which Telugu movie makers schedule their release to cash in on the holiday crowd. This year, the releases were limited to OTT platforms due to COVID-19 restrictions. Only the low-profile

Colour Photo began streaming on OTT platforms.

Missing was the festive buzz at vehicle showrooms which see a spike in sales during Dasara due to religious sentiments.

The only whiff about the festival were the heaps of marigold flowers being sold in city corners and thoroughfares, and the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation buses bedecked with flowers and buntings to mark Ayudha Puja.