Arasan Shop

This shop at Carnegie just near to the Caulfield campus of Monash University is just the typical Indian spices and condiments shop. The only problem, the items you purchase might be as old as nearly a year ago. But, I have to admit, the lady of the shop gave me a calendar with a picture of Lord Hanuman when I first went to their shop in 2003, to buy 10 kg of rice. I still retain that calendar in my bedroom, but a crime is a crime, to quote Nakkeeran from Thiruvilaiyaadal.

I did not realise about the expiry dates of products till sometime after that, I had bought quite a few things from them, the only Tamilian family I knew in the whole of Melbourne at that time. So it was kind of meeting some kindred souls all the way from Windsor to Carnegie. The truth dawned when I bought some pickles and by chance happened to glance at the information on the container, actually I was looking for the manufacturer's address in Madras, when I noticed the expiry date was nearly one year back. I then located another and found it was from the same batch. The good samaritan in me (!!) took both the bottles to the counter and actually told that lady about the possible oversight in stocking. I was really shocked by the reply that she gave me, "Venumnaa Vaangittu Ponga, illai na angeye replace pannunga" - did not expect that from a lady who some weeks back gave me the calendar.

But I did pass on this information to some of my friends and maybe Arasan lost some business because of me. Last heard, the shop is still there, and mostly everyone who resides in the adjoining suburbs of Glen Huntly, Carnegie, Murrumbeena are aware of this and none go to their shop.