Bengaluru: Excited shoppers have formed long queues in Chickpet, Avenue Road and Kumbarpet as the city's oldest commercial hubs buzz with Deepavali frenzy.

A business tradition draws crowds to Kumbarpet, where a massive queue had formed outside a stationery store. \"The queue is for the new accounts books,\" explained a shopkeeper. \"As per tradition, many shopkeepers start new ledgers, or 'khata books', during Deepavali for good fortune.\"

Hundreds are also thronging to buy clothes, decorative lamps, and traditional deepas. Shoppers expressed eagerness to find the latest trends. \"I am looking for sustainable clay deepas and silk blend kurtas,\" said Kavita, a shopper near Avenue Road. \"The variety here is unmatched.\"

The narrow Avenue Road, famous for its stationery and gold shops,

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