When television came to our country, it was the luxury of the select few who could afford it. VCRs were even rare, a casual movie show would turn into a room full of neighbors and relatives. For young crowd, having a music system for oneself, was just a dream. All those have changed. More people these days can afford to own a music system or a TV or a VCR. However the 'conventional' electronic gadgets - Japanese makes (well, you find very less of those, most are from Malaysia or Thailand), are still very expensive and so are far from reach of the general public. Not anymore, you now have choice - cheaper alternative imported from the North of the border.
These electronic replications come in wide range - telephones, music systems, VCRs, VCD players, you name it. They even bear the name of their originals - Sony, Nokia, Aiwa, you name it. Even they perform rather poorly in front of their originals, the cheaper price factor makes them attractive purchases. That is why these devices are gaining popularity by the day. There's even a whole 'khasa bazaar' in Maha Bauddha at the heart of the city.
Range
The Chinese electronic devices that are so popular these days offer you a wide range. Simple two head music system that you would be paying something like Rs. 10,000 for Malaysian make are now available for as less as Rs. 2,500 for the Chinese make. Some of the interesting 'khasa' items available in town:-
Long range cordless phones
These telephone sets makes life easier, and cheaper. Costing somewhere between Rs. 5000 to 10,000, these are cheaper alternative to cell phones. It does not give you the same wide coverage, but hey, it's worth the price.
Music Systems
Music systems are probably the most stable Chinese electronic replication available. Single head, double head cassette player and those with CD players are available in much less price and perform pretty much the same.
Video Cassette Recorders
VCRs are available in the range of Rs. 4000 to 8000. Even though Japanese and other makes are also dropping down on prices these days, they still cannot match the price of Khasa bazaar.
VCD Players
VCD players are the most attractive of them all. You can play both VCDs and music CDs in them, and most often they are more reliable than their Japanese and Malaysian counterpart. The Khasa VCD players are renowned to take the poor quality CDs and VCDs that other players reject. What more can you ask for. And to match with it, you can find a wide range of collection of Hollywood and Bollywood blockbusters in CDs.
VCDs
I wonder how they do it. As soon as a movie is released in Bollywood, it comes to our town in VCD via the Chinese road. Hollywood is also there. "Of course they are pirated," most of the vendors in Khasa bazaar have similar opinion. "But the customers bless us for selling them." Costing around Rs. 200 rupees a CD, it is hard to resist the temptation.
Color TVs
Color TVs - Sony and all - cost half the price of their originals. A 16 inch TV costs around Rs. 9000.
Telephones
Telephone sets are coming in all sizes and shapes and in one price - cheap! Regular set are available for anything like Rs. 300 or 400. There are these smaller palm size sets - that lets you talk hands free with a pair of head phones and a mike - that cost in the range of Rs. 250 - 400.
Laser pointers
These are serious devices, but guys have found entertainment value in it. They are everywhere these days. Go to cinema or stage shows, they are beaming here and there. It's the public nuisance no. 1 and it's very cheap - Rs. 70 per unit - heart sign, love messages bundled.
Where they come from
Most of these devices you find in the local market are from Khasa and surrounding towns in Chinese side of the border. Rarely you will find anything from the Chinese capital or other major cities.
Quality
What quality? Because of their low price, most buyers tend to overlook the quality aspect. Most of these devices are very poor in quality. The cellular phone lookalikes usually lasts for a year in average. Other telephone sets have longer life. CD and VCD players have low quality sound out-put. If you are an original Sony or Aiwa owner, you will never be able to stand the sound of the Chinese music systems. Speakers are better, comparably. If you use them with better quality amplifiers, they give satisfying outcome. And they are long lasting too. TVs give you very poor quality pictures, that comes with the low cost, I guess. Otherwise they have pretty much the same features as that of other makes, if you don't mind the fake brand names. Those mini phones are adorable, and their prices too. VCRs are no good, even with their low price. One last advice, if you find a Rs. 50 Parker pen, don't buy it.
Legal or illegal
Most of these electronic Dollys come from Khasa in the Chinese side of the border. They come in the country through Tato Pani. Even though most of the vendors refused to talk to us about the issue, it can be guessed that all those devices cannot be coming in, and selling so widely, without the knowledge of the authority. However, the fake brand names they carry make you suspicious of their genuineness.
