CII Fair 2007 attracting thousands

Chandigarh, Nov 4: Thousands of people are thronging the ongoing CII Chandigarh Fair 2007 for shopping and buying various products from different parts of the country and abroad, ahead of the festive season heralded by Diwali.

The fair is a major draw here with a large number of shopping-loving Punjabis visiting the fair.

Organised by the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), the four-day annual fair that will last till Monday (Nov.5) has offered shopping-loving Punjabis an enticing opportunity to grab the latest products ahead of festive season to be heralded by Diwali.

"This is an annual event in Chandigarh. This year we have got nine focus areas and the main are State exhibitions. Especially, we have got a large participation from West Bengal and Bihar. Lots of artists from these States have come with their handicrafts," said Krishan Goyal, Chairman, CII, Chandigarh Council.

The fair, showcasing 180 companies in nine expositions, has given an opportunity to consumer goods companies to display their products before the people from North India.

Among the major draw are International Arcade, Brands, Sates of India, and Decorative items. Thailand has put up stalls of 11 companies, whereas the fine handicraft items from Afghanistan are also a major draw for the visitors.

"These products are handicrafts like carpets, table cloth, wall hanging, cushion covers, silk embroideries and many more. We have bags made of silk for the school children and ladies, which have been made by Afghanistani ladies. So, we have a lot of things here. The fair is good and so are people. They have been purchasing a lot of things from us," said Sardar Mohammad Zamani, an Afghanistani exhibitor.

At the Bihar stall, the display of how silk is extraction to its final use has also drawn many visitors, including youngsters.

Every year, the fair is visited by a large number of people and registers a high volume of business as compared to the similar fairs held in other parts of the country. The main reason is the big purchasing power of the average Punjabi family here, said organisers.

Punjabis, known for their fascination to possess latest gizmos, are also having a great time hopping from stall to stall for the new arrivals and the distinct at the mega brands hall at the fair.

"People are coming here with lot of excitement as it has different cultures here. We got to see new things here and something different that various countries are offering and displaying here. The products are really nice and there is not even a single thing that could be left behind while shopping," said Narinder Kaur, a shopping freak.

The fair has offered an opportunity to consumer goods' companies to display their products to large number of consumer group from North India.

ANI>