Comments on: Grocery Shopping in New Delhi

By: latika

latika — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 09:32:06 +0000

well, its a lovely story..but i dont agree with butter in a paper or something like this..i’m born and brought up in new delhi..and we dont get butter in paper..there is load of international,national and local brands which taste really good..specially local..no matter how modern we are i still like everything in india..

By: JoB

JoB — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 07:22:10 +0000

What an absolutely charming story!
For those ofus who live vicariously thru others, I loved this little spot of life!
Great job!

By: Subodh

Subodh — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:10:22 +0000

Somebody mentioned India as a third world country? Really?
On sidelines, Rs. 50 for a can opener? Whoa!

By: Tzctlpc

Tzctlpc — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 09:03:12 +0000

In many countries foreigners are always told they are the first costumer of the day.

By: Jordan Pearce

Jordan Pearce — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 06:33:20 +0000

Such graciousness and respect for patronage and monetary rewards from the shoppe owner. I love it! Americans take for granted how little competition there really is around here. I’m going to make up my own money jig from now on.

“Perfectly fine-looking” low tech can opener: 50 rupees

Comments on said low tech can opener: Priceless.

By: juno

juno — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 02:51:46 +0000

By saying that the can opener doesn’t work, I get the impression that you think you were shortchanged. I’m sorry but I disagree. Like everybody says, you have to learn how to use it. I grew up with such a can opener and I doubt very much that it doesn’t work. You should have asked him to show you how.

By: Cairsten

Cairsten — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 20:50:03 +0000

Just chiming in to say the opener should work just fine!

* Use the large blade to punch into the lid, *parallel* to the edge of the can.

* Push down until the blade is all the way into the can, and the loop part of the opener rests on the edge of the can.

* Then, you can use a rocking motion, lifting and pressing down the blade as you advance around the edge of the can, to continue cutting around the lid. You can try just sliding, but rocking always works.

It looks sharp enough, it has no moving parts to worry about, and if you don’t let it rust it will last for ages. My parents still have a similar one that I remember from my childhood.

By: Saravanan

Saravanan — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 18:01:08 +0000

@Monevator: Things are fine now in India as you must have got to know from various sources.

As an Indian I always feel that we are not a third world. We are better off than many other countries. I know we lack in many things but we will be in a good shape. When people like you guys are there to help us and give a shoulder when we are struggling, things does seem good.

One thing that most of the people around the world have to learn from us, how to be frugal and smart. :).

By: paul g

paul g — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 17:54:52 +0000

So true it makes me laugh.Can opener should work otherwise he wouldn’t sell it to you.I am an Indian American -more American than Indian now.

By: Susanna

Susanna — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 16:05:39 +0000

What a great post!

The opener will work when used properly. I had one like it for many years and am looking for another one. My electric one that I had for around 15 years finally died and I have decided to go back to man powered.

If the metal handle becomes hard on the hands, wrap a pot holder around it.

By: Trendy Indy

Trendy Indy — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 13:55:24 +0000

Shopping in India in onething, I never really shopped for gorceries though I lived in India for 22 years. I am a spoiled kid. One thing that still irritates me is that none of the exported goods or goods sold in India have an expiry date.IfI ever manage to see an expiry date the packaging looks so old that I give it a second thought before I buy it. All that said, nothing compares to my beautiful India. Its one life that you have to expereince. Its like feeling peaceful amidst the choas.

By: Lorna

Lorna — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 07:05:01 +0000

It boggles my mind, too, how a perfectly fine-looking can opener like that wouldn’t work

The man’s attitude is touching to me. Not a lot of people take the time to be grateful for the little good things in their life that happens every day.

By: nd

nd — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 05:11:34 +0000

The description would be true for most of the shops in India if you are the first customer of the day. One very good thing I miss in USA compared to India, is MRP (maximum retail price), the printed price which will same across India and no shop can charge more than that (of course they can sell less than MRP).

By: Lisa

Lisa — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 02:17:08 +0000

Hi! I have used that kind of can opener many times. It’s perfectly good & easy to use . You have to jab the sharp end in the can then,slide it around the can edge. I prefer them because they can’t break really. They are kind of like the small military issue can openers.They are about a third that size. Ask someone to show you how to use it. It’s just one of those things you have to be shown. We also have opened cans by holding a sharp knive over a can edge then tapping the handle into the tin & molving it around the can. It just takes a little getting used to. Blessings,Lisa

By: A. Dawn

A. Dawn — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 00:30:19 +0000

We should travel in third world countries just to compare how things are totally different and how fortunate we are to have everything right at our footsteps. My trip to a third world country gave me a chance to compare some socio-economic issues between two worlds. Interested readers can follow this link - Lessons From a 3rd World Country
http://adawnjournal.com/2008/11/16/lessons-from-a-3rd-world-country/
Cheers,
A Dawn Journal
http://www.adawnjournal.com

By: Jade Cow

Jade Cow — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 22:43:54 +0000

Another person confused as to how it can not work! Are you sure that you are using it right?

By: deepikaur

deepikaur — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 22:05:05 +0000

Not bad.. Aapki Hindi tho bohat aachi hai.

Haha, ooh, this makes me miss shopping in India sooo much!

By: Mary Sue

Mary Sue — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 21:40:15 +0000

How does it not work? It has all the parts, and looks sharp enough.

By: Miss M

Miss M — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 21:34:23 +0000

I love this little look into daily life in another country. Thanks.

By: Jared

Jared — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 21:16:26 +0000

Kris’s description of the “grocery stores” in Delhi was spot on. My wife and I just returned from India two days ago. Our host took us to see a western-style mall with one of these grocery stores. I was wearing a backpack (day pack size) and had to go wait outside for my wife because there wasn’t enough room for me to turn around in the aisles. It was hilarious how much they crammed into that little store.

By: Brandon @ Car Insurance Guidebook

Brandon @ Car Insurance Guidebook — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 20:54:44 +0000

We certainly get spoiled in the U.S. Everything is very convenient at our Wal-Marts, Fred Meyers and various grocery stores. I’ve had the experience of shopping in Eastern Europe, but it wasn’t the adventure that Kris described in Delhi.

Stay safe over there, Kris. Hopefully things have calmed down some after the shootings.

By: Mister E

Mister E — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 20:45:52 +0000

Neat little story.

I’m also confused how that opener could fail. Any one I’ve ever had of that type has been pretty much fail proof.

By: heather

heather — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 20:41:05 +0000

That looks like a perfectly good can opener. Although, it is upside down in the photo. I’m really curious about how it failed to function.

Oh, and that’s a conversation I totally would have had.

By: Stephen

Stephen — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 20:39:50 +0000

Does the can opener really not work, or does Kris just not know how to use it? When I was a little boy that design was going out of use, and the first time I had to use one, someone else had to show me the technique.

By: Monevator

Monevator — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 20:11:17 +0000

Ah, India. It breaks your heart to watch what’s happening in Mumbai at the moment. I’m sure we all hope your friends are all safe and so on.

Regarding your post, I was a bit saddened to read one of my favourite shares, the UK retailer Tesco (our version of Wal-mart), was pushing into Indian cash-and-carry. As an investor I was thrilled. As a citizen of the world, well, you can’t hold back progress but it does seem sad.

By: Aman

Aman — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 20:03:33 +0000

ahhh…good old Indian shop keepers are one things I miss…some were nice like the above mentioned one, while others tried hard to rip you off (even if you can speak perfect Hindi might I add).

Sadly, each time I go back to India, I’m watching less shopkeepers as towns expand, and more of the Wal-Mart type stores in places like Mumbai, Delhi and Punjab.