Huge rush of shoppers in Patna stores and markets

PATNA: With the monthlong Ramzan reaching its last leg, city markets on Monday witnessed huge rush of shoppers. Ashok Rajpath and adjoining areas remained overcrowded since morning as Muslim women and men went Eid shopping.
Depending on the sighting of the new moon, Eid will fall either on June 5 or 6. The festival has a special significance as it comes after 29-30 days of fasting during Ramzan, the ninth month in the Muslim lunar calendar.
While women were seen buying home decor items, kids’ wear, cutlery sets and groceries, among other things, youngsters were busy purchasing new clothes, shoes and accessories for themselves.
These days, Ajmal Khan, a shopkeeper at Hathwa Market, is so busy that he had to engage more salesmen. He told this newspaper, “Ready-made suits, ‘kurtis’, skirts and straight pants are in vogue among women. Men, on the other hand, are buying trendy ‘kurtas’.”
A number of makeshift stalls, selling bangles, jewellery, shoes, henna, caps, perfumes, beads and dry fruits, have come up in areas like Sabzibagh, Patna Market, Khetan Market, Hathwa Market and Chudi Market.
One of the sellers near Khetan Market, Mohd Sonu, has displayed a variety of items with a ‘fixed-price’ tag. “During festivals, we do not have to worry about our sales,” he said.
Alam Ganj resident Mehjabeen Rizwi, who was seen buying home decor items at Patna Market, said, “I’ll use these curtains, bedsheets, pillow covers and dining table covers on Eid.”