Khursheed Dinshaw is captivated by the sheer variety at this multi-faceted complex

Sohrab Hall on Sassoon Road is a vibrant, classy complex, and tops every shopper’s list of favoured destinations. With ample and safe parking (yes!), you’re free to stroll through the cool pillared porches of this impressive structure, shopping for trivia or trousseaux, books or baubles, fitness or food. It’s not a place one hurries through. Even if you enter with a particular kind of shopping in mind, you’re bound to be drawn to the many delights here. As you wander through Sohrab Hall you will discover an assortment of stores tucked into every nook.

If you’re in a mood for food, step right this way. Pizza Express offers a bargain lunch buffet (12.30 to 4.00 pm) that, for Rs. 225 + taxes, is great value for money. Prashant Singh shows us the great spread - 8 types of salads, a soup, 1 veg. + 1 non-veg. pasta, 2 veg. + 2 non-veg. pizzas to choose from, a drink, a side dish, dessert and ice cream. “We also have daily happy hours on selected beverages,” he adds. Their well-stocked bar looks most inviting.

For a fun fitness experience, check out Endurance. As Abhimanyu Sable puts it, “Endurance is a premium club. It’s not your typical gym model. Our core objective is health and fitness, but we believe in our members having fun through events like trekking, parties, health seminars, etc.” Endurance offers Bollywood dancing, Aqua aerobics and dancing, Kickboxing, Pilates, Yoga and Bosu. The variety, Sable tells us, keeps members’ interest levels high.

Our next stop is Fitness Freak (earlier Bellona Associates), dealers in health and fitness equipment, health supplements, sports wear and accessories. They stock a range of equipment from all over the world; their supplement brands include Prolab, Ultimate and Dymatize. They also have a huge range of sportswear and accessories for men and women. “We cater to all segment of users, be it the home buyer, corporates, residential complexes, resorts, clubs, sport bodies and star hotels,” says Faiza Hasan.

The Marquee signboard draws us in. There’s a range of branded readymades for men and women - Armani, Chats, Nobody jeans, Ralph and Peco, Morgan, Anahita, Playboy, TNM, Diesel …they’re all there, vying for attention from the brand conscious. To help you accessorise, there is a range of shoes, purses, bags, belts, and other casual stuff.

Once we had an eyeful of fitness and fun clothes, we wandered into Trésor – to be mesmerised by bewitching bridal collections; sarees and salwar kameezes with resham and zardozi work; jacquard, crepe-de-Chine, and georgette with oxidized hand embroidery… “from the glittering to the grand, sober to the scintillating,” as Nadima Ali puts it.

Our next halt is a clothes and accessories place with a difference - the intriguingly named Either Or. They’ve got an eclectic and funky selection of Indian and Western clothes and accessories - in natural dyes, block prints, handlooms, and linens. There’s jewellery and handbags too. The store believes in encouraging young, start-out designers and indigenous talent to come up with truly distinctive choices.

For ravenous readers, there’s the leisure book and music store, Crossword. Spacious and well laid out, with cheerful interiors, the place encourages you to take your time and browse. V.M. Kulkarni tells us about their unique product mix. “We have the widest range of books for the young and old alike, along with CD-ROMs, music, magazines, stationery and toys. There are services like dial- a-book, fax-a-book and e-mail a book. We also have regular readings, discussions and debates on varied subjects.”

For fans of Feng Shui, Sapphire offers icons like the three-legged toad, gem tree, velvet scroll, laughing Buddha, and Mandarin duck. “Our pieces are energised, and that’s why they’re extremely effective,” say Sunil and Vandana Mehboobani, who trained under renowned Feng Shui masters. They also provide in-house consultation by appointment.

Our last halt is at Para Amor, where we are bedazzled by their unique gems and jewellery. Neeraj Jain shows us their new line - diamond Ganesha pendants in yellow and white gold; three-toned gold (white, yellow and pink) studded with diamonds; chandelier earrings… “And for Diwali we are launching our range of diamond kurta buttons,” Jain tells us.

We spent a super afternoon discovering the many lifestyle stores and eateries at Sohrab Hall. If you haven't already dropped by, do make the trip and enjoy the many pleasures of shopping here. We’re going back for more, for sure!

Sohrab Hall, Sassoon Road,Pune- 411 001.