The season of giving has kicked in and there's no better way to do that other than some retail therapy. The City just witnessed a fun affair — the United Charities Bazaar (UCB) — that was held at Corporation Playground, Lingarajpuram Road.
![A visitor looks at the Christmas nativity scene figurines at one of the stalls.]( "A visitor looks at the Christmas nativity scene figurines at one of the stalls.")
From scented candles, to dried flowers; from special chocolates to Christmas decorations, the bazaar had it all. Wooden frames, paper bags, sweaters and other warm clothes were other items seen. With beef burgers, vegetarian and non-vegetarian quiches, biryani, cutlets, rolls and noodles, the place was a haven for the taste-buds too.
A stall by the Horticulture Training Centre — although not Christmas-related — drew a huge crowd. "The concept of 'gift a plant', as cheap as Rs 35, was a great idea. The plant may not be something very rare or unique. But unlike many other perishable items that will just go down your tummy or end up in pieces later on, these plants will stay on, spreading the cheer of the season even if it's not Christmas," says Rose Anderson, a visitor at the stall. Another stall that saw a lot of children and adults alike was the Indian dog-adoption centre, where there were little dogs in a huge sandbox marked with collars that said 'Adopt me'. "I want to take these little friends home, but living in an apartment, it's just not possible. I'm getting one of them as a Christmas gift for my best friend for sure," says Radhika Gupta, a college student. With other stalls stocking from jute bags, kurtas and other clothes, the bazaar witnessed a never-ending crowd. Printed pots, hand-made cards, interestingly-shaped calendars, jewellery, Christmas figurines for the 'nativity scene', Christmas trees, wooden toys and decorations for the house were other interesting items at the bazaar. Games like 'feed the clown', and'fishing the bottle' were also seen at the event, which kept the children busy.
Jose P L, a regular at the bazaar for the past 10 years, comments, "It's all about charity. One may not see it happen, but all the goodness and giving is there." Stephen Dass, the organiser of UCB, adds, "It's our goal to be able to teach the deprived about how to fend for themselves. This bazaar includes NGOs and many individuals, and the end profit is used for various missions."
From scented candles, to dried flowers; from special chocolates to Christmas decorations, the bazaar had it all. Wooden frames, paper bags, sweaters and other warm clothes were other items seen. With beef burgers, vegetarian and non-vegetarian quiches, biryani, cutlets, rolls and noodles, the place was a haven for the taste-buds too.A stall by the Horticulture Training Centre — although not Christmas-related — drew a huge crowd. "The concept of 'gift a plant', as cheap as Rs 35, was a great idea. The plant may not be something very rare or unique. But unlike many other perishable items that will just go down your tummy or end up in pieces later on, these plants will stay on, spreading the cheer of the season even if it's not Christmas," says Rose Anderson, a visitor at the stall. Another stall that saw a lot of children and adults alike was the Indian dog-adoption centre, where there were little dogs in a huge sandbox marked with collars that said 'Adopt me'. "I want to take these little friends home, but living in an apartment, it's just not possible. I'm getting one of them as a Christmas gift for my best friend for sure," says Radhika Gupta, a college student. With other stalls stocking from jute bags, kurtas and other clothes, the bazaar witnessed a never-ending crowd. Printed pots, hand-made cards, interestingly-shaped calendars, jewellery, Christmas figurines for the 'nativity scene', Christmas trees, wooden toys and decorations for the house were other interesting items at the bazaar. Games like 'feed the clown', and'fishing the bottle' were also seen at the event, which kept the children busy.
Jose P L, a regular at the bazaar for the past 10 years, comments, "It's all about charity. One may not see it happen, but all the goodness and giving is there." Stephen Dass, the organiser of UCB, adds, "It's our goal to be able to teach the deprived about how to fend for themselves. This bazaar includes NGOs and many individuals, and the end profit is used for various missions."