There are many other places where one can comfortably spend time and still keep one's money. This week's subject is not a hotspot restaurant, but a hotspot area, with outlets ranging from sophisticated stores to pavement shops, an area flooded with people who have come to hang around, window-shop and, of course, enjoy themselves. It is our very own Egmore, near the Museum, that stretch along Pantheon Road and Montieth Road with those much-loved landmarks like Fountain Plaza and Alsa Mall, besides the pavement shops. Let us start at the lane by the side of the Handloom Exhibition ground. The piles of polyester and cotton material at wholesale prices are a big draw.
Students swarm over the area, looking for casual wear at bargain prices.
They are rarely disappointed and what they buy often turn out quite long-lasting. As darkness falls, the bargaining warms up and the lantern lights create a 'mela' atmosphere. Across the road is Fountain Plaza, with exclusive shops for bindis and everything from bangles to duppattas, a comfortable place to hang around. A special attraction is the famous Ajnabi Mithai shop, whose bhelpuri, with its unusual blend of masalas, is worth savouring. Our next stop is Alsa Mall, where we can really feel the heat of a hotspot.