Star campaigners throng shops selling sungudi saris

DINDIGUL: Star campaigners like television stars and actresses seem to make it a point to ensure that Chinnalapatti, the weavers' town known for its famous sungudi saris is on its agenda so that they can buy the much-needed summer wear.
The shopkeepers are elated with the attention they are drawing as well-known personalities are making a beeline to their stores.They are also trying to ensure that the party men bring the customers to their shops. "It is heartening to see the ladies go into raptures on seeing the colours and quality of our saris," said a shopkeeper.
Some examples are AIADMK's campaigners C R Saraswathy and Anitha Kuppusamy, who visited these shops and walked out with a bundle of saris. Expecting more people to visit them, the shopkeepers are not downing the shutters for noon as it is during this time when the campaigners frequent their shops.
The shopkeepers say the customers are surprised at the difference in prices of the saris in Chennai and Chinnalapatti. A sari purchased in Chinnalapatti may vary from Rs 250 to Rs 400 compared to other cities, they said.
The shopkeepers say that the public gathering outside also want to know which sari the campaigner bought so that they could also buy a similar one. Now, they have eager men and women gathering outside the shops hoping to catch a glimpse of the elite customers.