Kochi's Broadway teems with Onam shoppers as rain plays spoilsport
The narrow lanes of Broadway in Kochi were packed with shoppers on Sunday, August 23, as the city's oldest market area witnessed a sharp pickup in Onam sales. After a few days of low footfall and sluggish business, the sudden surge brought some relief to vendors, though intermittent rain continued to play spoilsport.
Street-side vendors, who line the bustling thoroughfares with colourful arrays of festive clothing, said the season had been difficult until now. Ashiq N.S., a vendor who calls out to passers-by to attract attention, said sales had not been encouraging. Displaying clothes priced from ₹100 to ₹600, he tried to persuade a customer who was examining a dress with small dirt marks. “They can be washed off easily,” he said, but just as he seemed to have convinced her, rain began to fall.
“This is the problem. It is evening, and sales are supposed to improve now, but that is precisely when it rains,” Ashiq said, as workers and customers rushed to cover the clothes with plastic sheets. “This has become routine. All we can do is wait for the rain to stop. By then, we will have lost several customers,” he added.
The weather has been a major challenge for vendors across Broadway this Onam season. Though the market saw a flurry of activity on Sunday, the gains were limited due to the recurring spells of rain. Another vendor, Muhammed Noushad, questioned whether people had sufficient purchasing power this year. “We brought in these Onam clothes for the festive season. We earn on a commission basis, and the rain has further affected sales. All we can do is fold our arms and wait for it to stop,” he said, demonstrating the gesture.
For some, the struggle is part of a larger story of financial recovery. Abdul Razack, who requested that his real name not be used, said he had lost his shop a few years ago and was trying to rebuild his livelihood by selling clothes on commission. “Sales have been lower this season, except yesterday and today. Perhaps people are buying from online stores,” he observed. While online shopping is a growing competitor, the internet also appears to be drawing some shoppers to the physical market. Thahira, a young woman, jokingly warned her sister-in-law Shahana that she would be upset if they could not find a particular green outfit she had seen in an online video. “There was a video showing clothes being sold at very low prices and even by weight. We still haven't found the place,” said Shahana, a resident of Puthuvype.
Onam, the harvest festival of Kerala, is a time when families traditionally buy new clothes. Markets like Broadway are hubs for such purchases, attracting people from across the city and nearby areas. However, this year's sales have been uneven, with factors such as rain, economic pressures, and competition from e-commerce platforms affecting footfall. Despite these challenges, the crowd on Sunday indicated that the festive spirit remains strong.
