Story: Indians

Krishnan’s dairy

Krishnan’s dairy

From the 1970s, corner dairies (convenience stores) run by Indian people became a common sight in most towns and cities in New Zealand. Though supermarkets had changed shopping patterns and attracted customers away from specialist stores (such as the fruit and vegetable shops once run by many Indians), dairies could make a profit by remaining open for long hours. The New Zealand tradition of the Indian dairy is the backdrop to Jacob Rajan’s award-winning play of 1997, Krishnan’s dairy. A famous Indian love story is interwoven with insights into the life of Indian immigrants in New Zealand.

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Indian Ink Theatre Company
Photograph by Nick Servian

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How to cite this page:

Nancy Swarbrick, 'Indians - After the Second World War', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/1834/krishnans-dairy (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Nancy Swarbrick, published 8 Feb 2005, updated 1 Mar 2015