29 April to 12 May 2012 Doorstep
5
Hiding in plain sight – little treasures at Mint Street Mint Street : To any Chennaiite, the two words conjure up a set of images: a vivid, colourful, noisy, narrow strip of tar with shops lined up on either side, a few modern monstrosities amid crumbling heaps of red bricks. Voices of shopkeepers hawking their wares mixed with the laughter of shoppers, the sizzle of oily snacks in frying pans and the occasional curse of a harried rickshaw puller. Mint Street : To a confirmed shopaholic, the two words conjure up visions of the longest street in Chennai that promises to be a bargain hunter’s delight, offering myriad treasures within its rather congested confines.
Shopping at Mint Street is not merely shopping; it is an experience in itself. One cannot simply make up a list, go to a shop, buy the needful and go back home. One is almost always persuaded to linger a little, sometimes to look at and examine new wares at one’s favourite shop, sometimes to drink a fresh lime soda to beat the heat, sometimes to eavesdrop on a mother’s harassed conversation about her daughter’s trousseau, sometimes to share a joke with a nearby shopkeeper or passer-by, or sometimes to discover a little shop that sells the prettiest jewellery this side of the Adyar tucked away in one of the numerous by lanes. As one opens the glass fronted doors of Kyaira Enterprises, at first glance it appears to be a run-of-the-mill jewellery store. Inside, however, one would find a literal treasure trove of silver, Sterling silver and German silver jewellery.
Vintage designs that are reminiscent of old world charm to skulls and bones that can be worn at a metal concert, this place can pretty much offer accessories for any age group at any occasion. If plain accessories are not your thing, there is a whole lot of other stuff to choose from – blingy to classy, sparkle to subdued glamour, classic to postmodern. Stones – precious, semi-precious – American diamonds, Marcasite, Zirconium, metals like gold, silver, rhodium, have been put together to create some very pretty rings, earrings, necklaces, anklets, bracelets, bangles, armlets, and the like. One can even choose from a range of designs featured on the proprietor BhagyashDoshi’s Facebook profile or request a custom design. And the cherry on top?The prices, of course. Since Kyaira Enterprises
www.doorsteponnet.com
is primarily a wholesale dealer, a pair of earrings that one would buy at, say, an exhibition or a swanky mall for Rs 300 costs Rs 120 here. The range starts from 50 rupees for a simple ring and goes up to a few thousand rupees, depending on the metal and stones used in the accessory. Ah, Mint Street.Delighting you. Always.
Zara Khan
The writer is a Dreamer, Writer, Photographe, Foodie, Bookworm,Engineer, Journalist. Nomad, feedbacks @zukosta