Diwali shopping festival kicks-off

New Delhi, Sept. 22:

The Delhi Diwali Shopping Festival 2006 started here on Thursday on the lines of the famous Dubai Shopping Festival, with an eye on the upcoming festive season.

The month-long festival would be held in various markets and shopping malls across the city and in the NCR region.

The festival would culminate on October 20 at the National Stadium.

"It would be a city-centric festival, which derives inspiration from Dubai and Hong Kong shopping festivals," said Deep Bajaj, director of 'Thyme Advertising and Services Pvt. Ltd.,' the organiser of DDSF.

The DDSF would begin with a cocktail festival Thursday evening and include events like civic beauty contest, ghazal night featuring Jagjit Singh, kids' carnival, laughter show, DJ night etc, he added.

"The idea is to get Delhiites together in a harmonious, festive spirit."

According to organisers, 700 Residents' Welfare Associations, 1,200 retailers, 12 major markets, 11-12 malls, 200 schools and almost 100 corporate houses have come forward to participate in the DDSF. The civic beauty contest would be held with the cooperation of the RWAs. The best maintained locality would bag the award, he mentioned.

Major markets like G-K I and II, Sarojini Nagar, South Extension I and II, and malls in Delhi and NCR would house the festival.

Talking about the attractions of the festival, Bajaj said discounts and other attractive offers would be given to shoppers.