What at the first glance looked like a jumbled collection of small colourful shops, slowly showed itself to be a carnival of it’s own kind and how.
A few attempts in the beginning to stay preened and groomed were soon proven pointless. If the effort was to dodge that one hovering swarm of flies then this inadvertently meant barging into another group except this time a group of enthusiastic shoppers. And you couldn’t be bothered to avoid the dirt and litter on the slim streets, because well it’s safer to walk over the waste than on somebody else’s foot or over a worriless dog slumbering by the side.
Adding to this wonderful visual appeal of the market place, was the kindness rendered to our perception of sound. Clatter and clamour, it was a racket. If not for the dogged shopkeepers who’d yell their lungs out to announce the variety they offer in their little dungeon of a store, the equally determined customers would bargain the whole selling price down to zilch. And yet amidst all this the children continue to be about as flippant as ever.
But, that’s not about it. There’s more, much much more to it than what meets the eye. Apart from a certain spirited impulse that seizes this flea market, there’s this familiarity that surrounds. You’re welcomed with regard as customers to each of these little shops and made to sit comfortably (As opposed to the chic stores in mega malls where all the running around and fetching stuff on your own gives you sore feet by the end of it) while the seller shows you through possibly every product they have. And you’re equally respected when you walk out even if you haven’t bought a single thing. you can never complain for lack of warmth or effort from the storekeeper’s end. Their whole world is enclosed within that small shop and they offer you all of it.
For somebody who does not harbour such excessive sentimentality to appreciate this compassion, there’s still another reason why this market is a hit. Well, they’ve got it all. You name it and there’s a shop exclusively for it at a price that’s half of what you’d be guessing in your mind. There’s liberty to bargain without the risk of marring your reputation.
In this extraordinary market, what’s most remarkable is the necessity for it’s existence. We need this place. The locals can’t do without it and when it comes to retail and wholesale, it’s like no other. Plus, it’s the most fun and vibrant place I’ve ever visisted.
Nayi Sarak (new road?) was actually the exact place that I went to. Surprisingly, there’s a wonderful Gurudwara here which was not only sparkling as heck but also gave this place a kind of landmark.
So basically the idea here is, very little space and a lot of populace. What would give you a rough concept of this, is that there are over thousands and thousands of shops here. Next to each other, across each other, above each other, below each other, diagonal to each other, adjoining each other, bordering each other, on top of each other, it’s a whole marketing structure. And as my mother retorted to all my criticism of this place, “you’re still indian, and this is still india”. We can’t be lost in awe of our multiplexes. They’re acquired.
