The Night We Searched the City for One Tiny Bangle

On 31st January 2026, my daughter was performing a Durga dance for her annual feast.

Her excitement was sky-high.

On 30th January, just a day before the event, we received her costume. We opened it carefully, checked every piece — and that’s when we realized something was missing.

She didn’t have bangles.

For a Durga costume, bangles are not optional. They complete the look.

Without wasting time, we rushed to our usual go-to shop — Bombay Sale at Kodiyar Nagar. To our surprise, they didn’t have bangles for a four-year-old.

We thought, “Okay, maybe another store.”

That “another store” turned into roaming almost every familiar stretch we knew.

Kodiyar Nagar.
VIP Road.
Harni.
Amit Circle.
Sama.

Shop after shop.

Not a single store had bangles for such a small child.

We were genuinely shocked. How could something so basic be so hard to find?

After hours of searching, we finally decided we would somehow manage with the few mismatched ones we had at home.

And just when we were about to give up — we noticed a small pushcart vendor by the roadside. He was selling headbands, hair clips, bindis, lipstick… and random accessories.

With very little hope, we asked him.

And there it was.

Tiny bangles — exactly my daughter’s size.

He charged ₹100 for two dozen.

I didn’t bargain. I didn’t even hesitate. I happily bought them and felt like we had found gold.

We returned home relieved — but also surprised at how most big stores didn’t stock something as simple as bangles for young children.

After that day, every time we stepped out, we kept an eye out for bangles.

Most shops still didn’t have them.

Whenever we found some, we bought them immediately.

Now I have four dozen sets — one in her current size, one slightly bigger (just in case), and backups for emergencies.

Maybe we weren’t searching in the right places.

Or maybe parenting teaches you one thing very clearly —

When you finally find something that works for your child, you don’t risk losing it again.

And somewhere in Vadodara, a small pushcart vendor saved our Durga performance day.

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