Last minute shoppers or smart bargain hunters?
For years and years, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman or Jalan TAR as it is known to locals, has been the primary place to do shopping for Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
Why Jalan TAR? One may ask. Well, for those who don’t know, this is one place where you can find everything from decorative household items to clothes in abundance.
During the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, Jalan TAR comes roaring to life after Iftar (breaking of fast) – even more so towards the tail end of the month.
Many people choose to wait to do their ‘Raya’ shopping till the very eve of Syawal, for that is when many things go for super cheap. It is well known that on that night, 50 to 80 percent of the prices get knocked off almost all the items on display.
When I arrived at the popular spot at 11pm on the penultimate night of Ramadan, the crowd that met me easily numbered in the tens of thousands.
The traditional and must have Baju Melayu and Baju Kurung were going for as cheap as RM50 a set.
Food items were plentiful as well. And pretty cheap too. The parking lot operators however, were the ones making a real killing that night, hiking parking fees to RM15 per car.
I walked further along Jalan TAR and into Jalan Masjid India to get some pictures of the action ‘unfolding’ in front of my eyes. Entire families with young babies and elderly parents were out in numbers that night. Tourists and window shoppers taking in the atmosphere dotted the crowd.
In the sardine can environment of Jalan TAR, I came across some familiar faces – with enough time (and space!) to barely get a quick Raya greeting across.
The goods got noticeably cheaper by the hour and for those who hung around the place long enough reaped the rewards for their patience. By 1am, Baju Melayu were going for RM30 per set.
I eventually left the super busy place at 2am. The ‘Shoppers Paradise’ was still thick with shoppers and there were no signs of the crowd receding. The traffic did not appear to be abating either and the police and the city council officers were still hard at work managing the traffic in and around the area.
Many call this phenomena ‘last minute Raya shopping’ but I have a different take on it altogether. For me, this is more of a ‘strategic shopping’ tactic employed by many of the city dwellers.
For those who have yet to buy their Raya goodies, tonight would be your last chance before the big Eid celebrations on Monday. And just like the years before, the sales on the final night would be nothing short of maddening. Don’t believe me? Make a dash there now.
P/S: To Yahoo! Malaysia readers, I would like to wish all of you Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Maaf Zahir dan Batin.
Check out pictures from Kamal's trusted camera here:
