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SOCIETY
Ladies clubs mushroom in Ludhiana city
by Karan
Kapoor
Ludhiana:
Gone are the days when clubbing used to be a favourite
pastime of the elite. For, the modern club culture
of European society is steadily finding growing acceptance
at different places in India, as a growing number
of people seem drawn to cherish it. In Ludhiana, the
industrial town of Punjab, the booming club culture
among women is providing a lucrative business opportunity
to the hospitality and retail sector. Ludhiana today
has over 100 small and big women's clubs and each
of the clubs have members anywhere from 50 to 2,500.
Many women here view the clubs as a platform to display
their hidden talent. The clubs celebrate festive occasions
like Holi, Diwali or Baisakh, with gaiety. These women,
generally come from well-off families, and enjoy sharing
laughter and fun while participating in games and
music. Mona Sood, Chairperson of the Aastha Ladies
Club, Ludhiana, said: "Our functions are associated
with the festivals that fall almost every month in
India. We make these festivals the theme of our celebrations
and enjoy the occasion. We select summer and winter
queens by organizing fashion parades. Also, we choose
`Queen of the Club" every year."
The
club culture has taken off in Ludhiana in the last
few years. Shammi Bindra, the Director of Shambra
Ladies Club, said: "Ludhiana being an industrial hub
has given an opportunity to women to spend additional
money and enjoy their free time. Joining a club is
the best way to fulfill these needs." Club culture
in Ludhiana is proving to be an advantage for the
hospitality sector as besides providing the party
venue, the hotels also get large catering orders.
The business of over 20 medium and big hotels in Ludhiana
depends on these celebrations. Each club spends between
5,000 to 50,000 dollars annually for organizing these
parties. Hotels hail the emergence of new culture,
as it also provides them an opportunity to develop
business contacts with the club members, who are mostly
from business families. Arun Jay, General Manager,
Majestic Park Plaza hotel, said: "Ladies don't come
to hotels only when they have their kitties. They
come with their families and relatives. Whenever they
are have a relative in the city , they prefer to put
them in the hotel about which they know." They dance,
gossip and shop to add some spice to their lives.
And to cash in on this opportunity, hotels in association
with retailers hold sale-cum-exhibition of designer
clothes, jewelry and other products for the club members.
The Clubs claim that they serve as a meeting place
for women where they can grow as persons.
-Nov
8, 2008
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