With nearly 100 vendors from across South India, a performance by Coimbatore’s local musical band Laazh, cookery contest for the entire family, and a Halloween fancy dress competition for children, the 5th edition of the Cool Sunday Santhai promises to entertain its visitors. This two-day shopping festival is on at R.S. Puram Ladies Club on October 31 and November 1.

“Ever since the concept of Cool Sunday Santhai was born, my priority has been women entrepreneurs. Two years have passed and my shopping festivals continue to support artisans, and women who sell from their home and people who make and sell organic products,” Meena Krishnakumar, owner of brand ‘Frangipani’ who organizes Cool Sunday Santhai says.

Diwali is just a few days away and this shopping festival gives the people of this city an opportunity to shop for everything related to the festival under one roof. One of the visitors who was busy doing some heavy shopping was Uma Raveendhren. “Cool Sunday Santhai is a good platform, especially for women entrepreneurs who sell stuff from their homes to connect with potential buyers. I enjoy visiting such shopping festivals as I can shop and also become aware of the latest trends in clothing, fashion, jewellery and home décor,” Uma said.

Kanchan Mall has travelled all the way from Kolkota to put up her stall at the Cool Sunday Santhai. She joined hands with her Coimbatore-based friend Sarada Srikanth and the two are selling ladies kurtis and dress materials made from jute. We are told that their merchandise is sourced from Kolkota.

If you like to light up your home with fancy lighting solutions during this festival of lights, give Sheetal Anand’s LED fancy lights a try. They are available in various shapes and sizes and they are powered by cells. They can be placed almost anywhere; in between showpieces in your home, in between rangoli and they look good when they stand all by themselves as well.

The nettipattam that was hung in one of the stalls looked royal and the finish was neat. We learn that it is the handwork of Vidya Menon who owns her home based brand Harini’s Murals. Based out of Kerala, Vidhya can make any ordinary looking sari or kurti look extra ordinary with her hand crafted mural work.

For Yamini Sriram from Coimbatore who sells t-shirts for men, this was the 10th time that she is putting up a stall at the Cool Sunday Santhai. “I always do good business at the Sunday Santhai. This encourages me to participate in every edition,” Yamini says.