Shimla

The Tibetan Community-in-exile in Shimla organized special prayers on Tuesday for better business after the Tibetan traders shifted to a new market in the city. The Tibetan trade community-in-exile in the city has shifted from a 50-year-old market to the new Aajivika Bhawan built by the Shimla Municipal Corporation in Shimla.

The Tibetan traders were running the business in the Lakkar-Bazar area of Shimla over the past 40 years as vendors and now the Shimla Municipal Corporation has allotted new shops to them in Ajivika Bhawan near the Lift road in Shimla City. The Tibetan garment traders in Shimla now are hoping for good business in the coming days.

However, these Tibetan Units are happy to get a new and better place after shifting from a four-decade-old place. On Tuesday, these Tibetan traders offered special prayers for good fortune and trade in years to come. So far out of the total 70 shops allotted to the Tibetan 80 per cent of them have shifted and have started the trade here. Tibetan readymade garments are popular among young customers in the region. "We have organized special prayers to start our business after over 45 years.

We have shifted to a new market as the Shimla Municipal Corporation has allotted us a new vendors market. We are happy to be here and are expecting good business ahead. We have been doing this business for over 40 years and this is a new place, with the blessings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama we want to start our business here. Today we offered Tibetan Buddhist prayers for good trade fortune and also to dispel evil," said the President of the Tibetan Association of Traders. Tibetan readymade garment business is not only providing them with a good business but also helping to build relations between both local Indian and Tibetan community in exile.

One of the local Tibetan women in exile who has been in the garment trade for over 20 years, said this helps them to build a good relationship with the customers. "We have been doing garment trade here for many years; we build friendly relations with our customers and try to get them good quality options at affordable prices. We are now again in the process of beginning trade. We have organized special prayers for future trade and relations in the near future. We hope for better business in the days to come," said a woman trader of the Tibetan market.

ALSO READ: Is Habib Tanvir's legacy of blending folk and modern theater fading?

The buyers are happy to get a good place and they will have a better option as the Tibetan market has got sufficient space and varieties. They will be able to get a variety of options at affordable prices. The buyers here are happy as the new look and space of the Tibetan market in Shimla will provide them with good quality clothes and will have fashionable options here. "I am happy to be here, we just got to know that this Tibetan Market has shifted here. We get good quality and options here as all we get fashionable items here. I saw these Tibetans offering prayers today, we will have a better place for shopping with better options, and it is good. We are exploring it," said a young girl.