Issue 8 | 06 Jan. 2007

Check out this 'Mini Commercial Street'
By Latika R Chuganey

For a lot of people, shopping begins and ends in MG Road-Brigade Road-Commercial Street. But the city boasts of other, equally exciting options like for example Malleswaram 8th Cross. Also called “Mini Commercial Street” it has something to offer every kind of shopper. Most of the shoppers are from Rajajinagar, Srirampuram, Link Road, Mehkri Circle, Vijaynagar and Seshadripuram.

8th Cross, M’waram offers a wide variety of haute couture readymade garments, trendy lingerie, chic shoes and glamorous cosmetics. Accessories ranging from gold and silver to sensuous imitation jewellery will take your breath away. Shopping freaks also get a rich taste of interior and exterior decorative artifacts for their homes or offices, a complete range of sports equipment, branded toys, books, magazines, antiques and travel kits. For homemakers, the spanking clean and alluring vegetable market is a must-visit.

A conservative locality, Malleswaram is today one of the hippest places to shop in the city. The brightly-lit showrooms, the air-conditioned ambience of super stores like Bhagwan Stores and Indigo Nation, the well designed family store like the Sohan Kiran, lures you to come and splurge. You can pick straight off the shelf some of the biggest brands in the world, while taking a stroll down the street. If you are looking for Kancheepuram silks or Swarovski crystal, you’ll find some of the most exquisite silks at Suvarna Silks. Malleswaram is teeming with so many unique stores that you need to know where to shop for what. Devi Prasad is very well known for cutlery, crockery and household items as well as artifacts that are made of brass, silver and copperware that adds a traditional essence to your home.

After you have shopped till you drop, it’s time to indulge yourself and your family, and what better place than the good old Janata Hotel on 8th Cross. If the lip smacking masala dosas are not your cup of tea, there are a lot of small eateries where you can take away your quota of pizza or popcorn and chill out with a glass of your favorite juice.

During the festive season, Malleswaram, true to its conservative nature, is decked like a bride. The Kanaka Parmeshwari temple, which is on the main street, is one of the famous temples in Malleswaram. While walking on the street shoppers stop for a while, to pay their respect to the deity. During festival season, the street is crowded with hawkers displaying a wide variety of flowers and rangoli powder and designed blocks. Fashion and culture, M’waram has it all in equal measure.