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Photo: M. Periasamy

colourful affair The Mega Brands show

So, you don’t have to look at unwashed sneakers, shoe brushes and whatever else it is that you keep there. And, these are imported, from China.

That is the nicest thing about exhibitions. While you can depend on the regulars (electric chimneys, televisions and popcorn makers), it is the unexpected that catches your eye.

They make you go, ‘Oh! That would make my life a lot easier’. Take the step-ladders. Light, and made of some durable stuff, they look ideal for changing bulbs, cleaning fans and retrieving stuff from the loft. They can be stored behind your kitchen door, without coming in the way of anything.

And, take a look at the foldable picnic table. Priced at Rs 6,000, it weighs only nine kilos, can magically take weight up to 200 kilos and, best of all, comes as a rectangular, slim-fit foldable contraption.

You can use it as a bench, as a centre table, or as a picnic table with four seats. You can stash it in the trunk of your car. Buy it here and you get a gaily coloured picnic umbrella absolutely free.

Among the regulars, I never fail to be fascinated by the kitchen appliances guy turning out perfectly shaped, wafer-thin potato slices with a grater.

He jumps to an onion chopper and you have diced onions that could pass muster at a cordon bleu inspection! But alas, there’s something about me — my wafers are never thin, and I have bid a tearful farewell to the onion chopper, too. Still, it is marvellous to watch.

Thankfully, there are many things here that don’t necessarily need great skill or maintenance.

Such as lovely quilts, both single and double in bright colours. They are priced at Rs. 1,400 for a double and Rs. 950 for a single, and best of all, they can be bunged into the washing machine for cleaning. They seem just right for the mild winters of Coimbatore.

There seem to be a lot of imported stuff. From Malaysia , China and closer home from Ooty, Bangalore, Chennai and even Jharkhand (some colourful wall hangings, tribal figures, masks and so on).

One gram gold jewellery draws some attention. The stall has the accoutrements for Bharatanatyam dancers. And, some really pretty enamel-worked bangles, and stone-studded ones, surprisingly elegant.

For parents, be prepared to be plagued. There are toy stalls and a stationery stall (loved some erasers shaped like cashew nuts!). There is a solitary book store with the mandatory dictionaries and so on, but what is amazing is that it has an entire series of pocket books on SMS-ing!

My purchase? A sambarani holder in terracotta, that doubles as an oil lamp. Just perfect for Karthigai.

Mega Brands concludes today at Padmavati Ammal Cultural Centre on Avanashi Road. It is open between 10.30 a.m. and 8.30 p.m. Entry is free.

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