GUA MUSANG: The joy of celebrating Deepavali knows no bounds, with some residents of Gua Musang willing to travel hundreds of kilometres to other states in search of festive essentials.
For them, the long journeys to neighbouring states are well worth the effort, as a wider selection, variety of designs and affordable prices are key considerations when preparing festive essentials for the entire family.
Senior citizen P. Raman, 73, said his family preferred to shop for Deepavali clothes at stores in Ipoh, Perak, and Klang, Selangor, which offered a wider range of choices compared with business premises in Gua Musang.
For the father of four and grandfather of seven, online shopping is not an option because shopping in person lets him view designs, assess quality, and try on clothes before deciding.
"When buying from a store, we are more satisfied because we can see and try on the clothes first, although online purchases are definitely cheaper. The price difference can be around RM10 per item of clothing," he told Bernama recently.
On the other hand, welder M. Elanggo, 40, said online shopping had become an alternative for obtaining clothes at more affordable prices, particularly when preparing festive outfits for the entire family.
He said more than RM1,000 had been set aside to buy clothes for himself, his wife, children, parents and parents-in-law, as well as accessories to complete their festive looks.
"In Gua Musang, the choices are not as extensive as those in major cities. Online shopping therefore makes it easier for us to get clothes according to our preferences and family budget," he said.
However, he said online shopping came with its own challenges, particularly in terms of clothing sizes, although these could be overcome by having the clothes altered at a tailor's shop or reselling items that did not fit.
Meanwhile, single mother of seven R. Parvathy, 68, who lives in Kuala Krai, said the limited choices and relatively high prices of festive items had prompted her children, who live in Kuala Lumpur, to help buy clothes for her.
"There are shops selling Deepavali items in Kuala Krai, but the choices are limited and the prices are relatively high compared with other places.
"So my children who live in Kuala Lumpur will buy clothes for me, and they also shop online through platforms such as Shopee and TikTok," said Parvathy, who will celebrate the festival modestly this year. –Bernama
