Mela part deux

This past Sunday, Shikha and I took part in another Diwali Mela, and this time around it was in the burbs of New York. But, the drill was the same - excitement, crossing off the to-do list, nervousness, singing amusing songs to self, happiness and finally gratitude.

We kicked off in the morning around 9 and reached our destination around 10:30 {picked up Aunty and Uncle on the way - yes, they offered to help again!!}. At the Mela grounds, the truck was unloading the tents, tables and chairs - and there was chaos everywhere. I was antsy to find the organizer to figure out where our booth would be set up. After having multiple back and forths with multiple people, I finally nailed the booth location and off we went on the unpacking and decorating spree. My heart kept giving out a big thump -- like it was beating against a wall -- yeah, I was that nervous! :)

The event started around 1pm, and we were all set to showcase our best. This event was a lot different than the South Seaport Diwali Mela - where the crowd busted with energy from the minute the clock hit 12pm. I couldn't help but do some comparisons, although it wasn't fair to do so. But, I guess because the Seaport Diwali Mela was our first - I just had to keep coming back to it for references.

Anyhow, the make up of visitors at Hicksville Mela was a lot different. For one, it was full of family type groups, as opposed to independent minglers and secondly it had more men than women (strangely). But, hey, that did not stop us from being our best.

Shikha and I took our spots behind the counter, and greeted all lookers, prospective buyers and even passers by with a genuine smile. To us it wasn't about selling, it was about inviting them to the booth and then letting them make a decision once they had viewed what Banno Raani had to offer. And, boy, did they make a decision or what!! The response was awesome and we really got some great feedback and future clients! :)

We did get some nay-sayers as well who scoffed at our products and prices, but that did not deter us at all. We knew with confidence what we brought to the market, that our products were unique and that our presentation and services were truly above par. Nothing could shake that - if anything, it only made our commitment stronger! So yeah, in a way, we were thankful for such nay-sayers.

Well, keeping the essence of gratitude alive, we would like to take a few lines here and thank all the fabulous folks who visited our booth this past Sunday at Hicksville Diwali Mela. Thank you for stopping by and for taking a dekko at our collection. We love what we do and are honored to be given an opportunity to pass on our love for classiness, elegance and oomphness to you!! :)

Hugs!