I’m not particularly fond of big brands. While I have the financial means to indulge in many of them and can appreciate those who carry them with grace, it just doesn’t resonate with me. Now, you might wonder why I’m starting with this note. The reason is that people tend to judge my shopping choices. However, I firmly believe that one’s shopping preferences are a personal choice. My entire narrative below is centered around my love for shopping in bustling markets rather than fancy air-conditioned malls.

With an immense love for shopping, I recently visited a busy marketplace in Delhi, which I consider a shopping paradise. The cacophony created by the mixture of vehicle honks and hawkers shouting at the top of their voices adds to the overall amusement, akin to the background score of a theatrical movie.

After shopping to the extent where my hands were full of shopping bags but my bank account half empty, I found a corner to sit among many with my super drink, Golisoda, surrounded by small shops and hawkers. This is where my observations began.

The scene started with a couple arguing over the color of a foot mat, and I was amused; a topic of argument indeed. I don’t know who won in the end, but I witnessed both of them walking away hand in hand with the foot mat, sporting sweet smiles. Another captivating scene involved a 5-year-old giving her opinion on which color clip to wear with a specific dress, and her mom explaining color balancing with simple terms. I loved how the little one was already gaining knowledge about colors – it’s a school beyond school.

As my soda ran out, I began walking towards my car to unload the shopping bags so I could restart. Walking amidst showrooms, where the noise was far less due to a smaller crowd, I heard a man singing the Baby Shark theme song while browsing his phone. This made me curious and compelled me to observe more. I entered a showroom with the pretense of buying something and found a toddler in a stroller. The man singing the Baby Shark theme song was babysitting him while his partner was busy selecting items. Again, I felt a sense of awe – Baby Shark is now the theme song for families with toddlers! I not only left the showroom with the happiness of seeing love around but also with a pair of clothes. Now, I walked towards my car, unloaded the baggage, and planned to restart but not before satisfying my growling stomach. I went to a chaat stall and indulged in golgappas . In the mayhem of having one golgappa in my mouth, one in my hand, one in my plate, and one in the facilitator’s hand, I witnessed a beautiful scene. An old mother was continuously insisted by her middle-aged son to have the chaat. As she was not agreeing, he took the initiative of feeding her, and she took it with utmost satisfaction. It was a feeling of responsibility, a reversal of roles as we and our most affectionate ones age.

After overcoming the challenge the golgappa posed and witnessing the satisfying scene of the mother-son duo, I moved towards a hawker selling beautiful earrings cheaper than a Dairy Milk. I chose five pairs, and while selecting the sixth one, I noticed a teenage boy, probably a ragpicker, asking someone to buy one pair for him. I was surprised, and upon eavesdropping, I found out it was for his elder sister’s birthday. By the time I could react to gift her, someone else had already bought him two pairs. Generosity prevails, and I firmly believe that we can never lose that.

When I reached out to the hawker for payment, he said he only accepted cash, which I didn’t have at that time. Consequently, an example of the best camaraderie unfolded before my eyes – he asked his competitor to take UPI payment from me. That’s the friendship we talk about.

With a mobile ring, I was back to my shopping saga, and I saw my husband calling. I was overwhelmed, thinking he might be worried for me, as I didn’t anticipate that my shopping spree would be so lengthy. As I kept my chores unplanned, he too might be feeling the chaos. To my surprise, he asked what I would like to have for dinner, as he was sure I would reach home by dinner time. I was awestruck when he asked about my daughter’s study plan. Again, I witnessed the shift of responsibility.

Enough was done for that day, and as I bid goodbye to the place, I felt life is such a bouquet of boons surrounding us. I was amazed at how these relationships get celebrated every day in any busy marketplace – it’s a blast of all types of emotions.