This was Knot Square's 27th stall, and I received the opportunity almost at the last minute. My cousin, Ar. Apeksha, who is currently pursuing her master's at the Manipal School of Architecture and Planning, mentioned that there was a fest happening at her college, allowing students to set up stalls as part of the event. She told me this on a Wednesday night but wasn't sure of the exact date, which could either be the following Wednesday or Thursday. To add to it, she also wasn't certain whether the stall registration date had already passed.
Initially, I informed her that I wouldn't be able to travel as I had another upcoming stall to prepare for. However, I encouraged her to consider setting up a stall of her own, as she is an artist and paints well. I even suggested that she put up a food stall, which tends to draw attention at events. She declined, saying she was busy and had no time to prepare. But since there was no registration fee for setting up the stall and I wanted Knot Square to travel to a new location, I saw it as a great opportunity. I asked if she would manage the stall if I sent her the products, and she happily agreed.
On Thursday, Apeksha couldn't confirm whether the registrations were still open, but she informed me that the event would happen on Wednesday. This meant I had to ship the products to her the next day or, at the latest, by Saturday to avoid any delay. I sat and made a couple of key tags; though the event wasn't confirmed, I could use them for my next market.
That same night, my sister and brother-in-law mentioned that they would be traveling to Mysore for work and checked if we would like to join. This seemed like a perfect chance for me to send our products to Apeksha. I packed everything required, and we left for Mysore on Saturday, still uncertain if the event was confirmed. On Saturday night, Apeksha confirmed that Knot Square had secured the stall, and I sent the package along with my sister to Manipal.
I thought I had packed everything she would need for the stall setup, but later realized I had forgotten a tablecloth. Thankfully, my mom provided one from home. As Mangalore is my hometown I could rely on my family for those last-minute details. On Tuesday night, I called Apeksha to share all the information she would need to manage the stall. After our call, I sent her a checklist with all the essential details to ensure nothing was missed.
On the event day, my sister's brother-in-law helped transfer the materials from their home to the college and back. The stall was scheduled for Wednesday evening from 4 to 8 p.m., but students were asked to arrive by 3:30 to set up. Apeksha reached the venue, only to find that the tables weren't arranged as promised. When she contacted the coordinator, a junior graduation student, she was told that the students were too busy to arrange the tables and that either she had to request juniors to arrange them for her or bring one herself from the classroom. She didn’t know many juniors and wasn’t sure whom to ask for help; even her classmates had already left for the day. While she stood there unsure of what to do, one of her professors noticed her and asked what had happened. After hearing her situation, the professor immediately called the coordinator and insisted it was the organizer's responsibility to arrange the tables, not the participants. Following this, two juniors stepped up and offered to help by bringing a table from a classroom. Thanks to them, Apeksha was able to set up the stall by 4:45, nearly an hour later than planned.
Despite the initial hiccups, things started to go smoothly once everything was set. A few faculty members and students visited and purchased some products. However, around 6:30 or 6:45, the organizer abruptly announced that everyone needed to wind up before 7 p.m. The participants had no choice but to start packing up. Just as Apeksha was finishing, one of her lecturers arrived and asked if she could check out the collection. The lecturer later bought one of the key tags.
Even with only two hours available, Apeksha managed to sell a decent number of pieces. Dad and sister, later shipped the remaining products back to me, as I needed them for an upcoming market.
Although this was my first time not being physically present for a Knot Square stall, my family stepped in to ensure everything went smoothly, and I'm immensely grateful to everyone who made this possible. This experience truly highlights the power of teamwork and family support, making Knot Square's journey to Manipal a memorable one.
-Archana Harish
Click here to watch the reel on our Instagram Page @knotsquare.in or here to watch the shorts on our YouTube channel @knotsquaredotin
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