CHENNAI: Spring may not be a prominent season in this city, but it has come alive inside the walls of The Marina Mall in OMR. Softened streams of sunlight illuminate the fake flowering vines that welcome customers on the ground floor. But it is difficult to stop and consume the sight for any longer than it takes to get a photograph — as beyond that lies the mall’s thriving Butterfly Park.
Sectioned off in a fence, the small exhibit showcases ten cloth butterflies, caterpillars and a butterfly entrapped in a snowglobe. Information boards keep you informed about the life of a butterfly, various types and more. “We knew that in the months of May and June, kids love to see something new and spring-summer collections were being launched in several stores across the mall. So, we needed something that is entertaining and attracts kids, but also talks about the spring-summer collections, welcoming the season,” begins Mohammed Wasif, the chief marketing officer. And so came about the setup.
Observing the exhibit on a Monday afternoon is a blessing. The leaner crowd allows one to listen to the recording of nature sounds that play every hour, giving the display a wild and magical quality. If this fails to amuse, some butterflies can also slap their wings, thanks to mechatronics. The crowd may be slim but whoever was there could be seen posing nearby. On the weekends, however, there is quite a horde to navigate, it seems. “People come and they are sort of stuck over there.
You see many wonderful decors in malls around the world but they often become just a photo-op; there is nothing more to see. But here, you see the butterflies flapping their wings, information boards and such, so you are stationed there for longer. On weekends, there are many workshops conducted so people and come and learn something. At these workshops, kids have made a giant butterfly out of waste, one with broken bangles, origami. We also have arts and crafts workshops like bracelet making and quizzes,” Wasif elaborates, adding that often even the parents get tied up with the workshops. While the exhibit is an attraction for the young ones, older fans also get some benefits. If you end up shopping for `5,000, you will receive vouchers worth Rs 500.
The green garden has been on display since the last week of April and the planning of the same has been ongoing since 2020. Unfortunately, May 2020 and 2021 faced a COVID-19 crisis (December 2021 did not prove too friendly either). So, two years in the making, this is a first of its kind for the mall in terms of scale. And luckily for invested consumers, the exhibit that was planned till the first week of June will now be on display till June 12.
“The response has been great. A lot of people are just becoming aware of this and there is much word-of-mouth. More people wanted to see this and we thought it was too short a notice (for them to plan a day here). School holidays have extended as well, so we thought to do so too,” says Wasif. Seeing the response, the mall is considering this to be a half-yearly affair, adds Wasif. Who knows? Maybe November-December will bring us the Ice Age or a Winter Dragon?