Advantage or Disadvantage

Shopping is one thing which relieves most of my stress. I can proudly mention myself as a Shopaholic with a pinch of guilt. Shopping is fun, but running out of budget has been the most painful thing ever and the feeling of guilt arises when you buy more things than you needed. Delhi is one of the finest places in India to shop like bananas. Hence, the capital city has become the favorite shopping destination to every Shopaholic in India. And not to forget that, most of the shopping videos in YouTube India have shot in Delhi itself. Which literally specifies that being a Shopaholic can also be transformed as a Career option. Well, I'm not going to say whether it's an advantage or disadvantage to be a shopping explorer in YouTube. I want to share my shopping experience in Delhi's most affordable street shopping destination, Sarojini Nagar.

It's one kind of place which every girl dream to shop at. As I have mentioned earlier, many YouTubers has shot most of the shopping videos in Sarojini Nagar because this place deserves the attention of the world. This place gets hundreds of vendors and thousands of customers together every single day in Delhi. This street shopping heaven is totally filled with every single fashionable item a person needs. Clothing, Accessories, Apparels, Footwear, Jewelry, Bags, Toys, Furnishing items, Interiors and many more. How a person's trip to Delhi would be completed without visiting this place to shop some souvenirs. It is the cheapest and most affordable shopping experience I have ever had in Delhi. Because I have already shopped at Chandnichowk, Connaught Place, and Janpath. But it wasn't an easy going experience for me to shop at Sarojini Nagar because I have encountered the weirdest, judgmental and innocent people.

It was Sunday and I knew that Sarojini Nagar was going to be jam-packed on weekends. Hence, I have started early from my hotel and reached Sarojini Nagar at 10.30 PM. There was no issue in entering the market, because the crowd scene was about to begin. I started exploring each and every stall. The Vendors were kind of settling their shops and stalls to get the customers. There was already some flow to few stalls. I was carrying cards and ran out of liquid cash. There were many ATM centers nearby. I got the cash and I thought of gaining some energy to shop like crazy. Hence, I had some Golgappa and fresh juice. The food here was also delicious and there were a lot of restaurants in every street.

I was already getting attention there. Though I dressed up like a typical guy, my nose piercing has literally made people mistook me to a girl. Well, I was wearing a neck piece though. I didn't understand that how come they called me, Madam, when I was maintaining my beard. Weird right. But I didn't want to spoil my mood. Hence, I have ignored those innocent creatures. Shopping apparels was not on my list that day and I hardly found good material over there. Of course, one shouldn't expect the quality at the lowest prices ever. So, I skipped the idea of buying clothes. But the accessories collection in Sarojini Nagar was outstanding and very rare too.

While I was exploring each and every stall, I stopped by a furnishing material store to buy some floral printed cushion covers and sofa covers for my couch, back at home. I have called my mom and asked for specifications. Finally, I bought a few of them. Then I saw a lamp store nearby. When I was about to go to the store, there was a guy around 18 years has approached and requested me to buy his jute bags which he was handling and roaming in the market. Jute bags were definitely not in my list. I have denied him. But he didn't give up at all and he was totally forcing me to buy the bag. I thought of using a trick of low price bargaining and asked him to sell the bag at 60% lesser than the original price. He has agreed to it. I was shocked. The bag costed 220. I asked him for 70 rupees. I thought of buying it and get rid of him. But I found no enough change to give that guy. I had only 60 rupees and 2000 rupees note. When I mentioned him that I didn't have change and I couldn't buy, he has literally agreed to take 60 rupees for the bag. I was shocked. Why he had to sell a bag for such low price? Trust me the bag worth more money. I asked him that why he did that? His answer was totally annoying.

He said "Aap logon ka dua hoga tho mera din acha nikhlega saab"(If I have the blessing of YOU people, my day end up in a good way).

I questioned him by asking "Aap Log Matlab?"

He answered me "Aap gay ho naa? Mujhe pata hai. Isiliye becha tha" (I know that you are gay, so I have sold it to you as my first customer)

I laughed at his answer. I could sense that his meaning of word Gay was a "Transgender". He mistook me for a transgender from abroad because when I spoke in Hindi, he has surprised and asked me how could I speak Hindi so fluently. Well, that clearly proved me a fact that most of the Delhi's population wasn't aware of the real meanings of LGBTQ terminology which was disappointing and sad to know. But the best part was they believed in wellness behind the blessings of Transgenders and most importantly, they didn't take them for granted and behaved in a weird way.

Well, I have mentioned him that I was not a Transgender and educated him a bit that a Gay and Transgender is different. But he said that it was fine to treat me as his first customer and he just asked me to wish for his good day. I have wished for his best day and left from that place. There were few more instances which I have encountered while shopping. I have got the same kind of deal from a leather bag vendor too. I shopped peacefully with some unnecessary attention. I bought few interiors, accessories and lights. To stuff everything in one bag, I had to buy another bag. Everything was affordable, but one should really have bargaining techniques to deal these vendors.

Travelling around various places in India made me shopping expert and have learnt few tactics in dealing these street shopping vendors. Few people at Sarojini Nagar has commented behind me. My sensitive ears grabbed the voices of those annoying creeps and my sharp tongue has given the most serious answers that shut their every single hole of their bodies. They apologized in return though. But an annoying sock vendor has asked my number. That was an eye rolling moment. I was surprised and asked what would he do with my number. That guy has annoyed me like mad. I wanted to buy many things, but I have already added enough extra luggage to my extra baggage.

Well, was it an advantage or disadvantage?

In my context, it is pure advantageous. Because I knew my identity and I knew who am I. My appearance might have misled people and I didn't feel like getting offended. Because it was fine for me to be someone until and unless it wouldn't harm me. There was clearly no harm and indeed I got the best deals ever. I was happy because I was kind of habituated with the judgmental shit. I didn't get offended and walked out of the shopping heaven because of those creepy monsters. I walked further by crossing every judgment and answering every criticism. Because I was spending my own money and shopping for my own purpose by carrying my own personality.

Being yourself is always an advantage, though you may face difficult and embarrassing situations and it's never a disadvantage! So embrace yourself at any place with any person....

#everydayqueerlife #delhidiaries #metropolitanmindsets #travelingstories #shoppingfun #judgmentalcriticism