BAZAAR

Farrukhnagar, seen from a bird’s eye view is octagonal in shape. If one zooms in closer one finds“boundary walls” of old fort still standing tall, encircling and guarding the main residential area of the town. While getting down from main road and on entering one of the sub lanes, huge tall pointed arched shaped “Delhi Darwaaza” greets one and proclaims the entrance to farukhnagar.
One is at once struck by the vibrancy of market right in front of Dilli Darwaza. It is a place which shows Farrukhnagar is full of life. It reflects the daily needs of the residents of the area. The shops are bedecked with colourful clothes, designer jootis, mooras made out of straw. There are shops of electronic goods, tailor, mobile showrooms too. It is eleven thirty in the morning, shopkeepers are busy attending there customers and customers are busy striking the right deal with the shopkeepers. This is the most brisk time of the day for the market. It is not only the goods changing hands but it is the changing time in terms of culture and practice of the Farrukhnagar. Most of the shops have women as buyers in their colourful and traditional Ghaghra Kurti. Ask any shopkeeper in the market he will tell you that those days are numbered when men used to shop and women used sit at home. I saw one such match between shopkeeper and a woman customer.
How much is this,” the woman asked holding a saree in her hand.

500,” shopkeeper gave her the price.

And to my utter surprise woman quoted half the price,” 250.

As expected argument ensued between them. Ultimately woman won this bargaining match. I was watching the whole episode very intently. Although I did not see anything special in that but the dialogue between them was very interesting. Besides I was amused to see the confidence of that woman supposedly coming from a rural background.

It is the women who rule the Farukhnagar Market these days,” I heard someone saying this to me as if someone has caught my inquisitiveness towards the Farukhnagar market.

I turned towards the voice. And this is how I met Mr. Arora a grocery shop owner who is running his business in the Market for last 45 years.
Earlier …I mean to say 7- 8 years back you should not have seen these many women in the market,” Arora continued, shopping was the prerogative of men. Now the scene is changing fast. Urban culture is taking us over.

How,” I asked enquiringly

Well….earlier the customer had to bear the tantrums of the shopkeeper now it is vice versa. Because in past farmers used to do all their purchasing after harvesting season. They never paid cash. They bought everything on credit. Paid the due amount on every harvest. That was the time when business was neither this brisk nor competitive. Shopkeepers could go for a siesta and game of cards in the afternoon after a decent business in the morning.

Before sunset, around 4pm in the afternoon they used to call their day.
So early,” I asked “how are the things different now.
Now customers have cash in their pockets,” Arora continued, “they do not like to stop at one shop. If they not get the things of their choice they move to another shop. Now they have plenty of choice. Now shopkeepers have to pamper the customers, competition is so tough that forget about afternoon siesta, if a shopkeeper takes things too seriously, he may loose his sleep altogether. Now customer is the king.
Rather queen,” I said jokingly pointing at the women outnumbering men in the market.
Arora nodded and laughed.

But how things have changed, I asked “where has the locals got money from.

Earlier the mainstay of economy was farming, Arora continued, “but now many have taken up jobs, with the arrival of "Reliance" and other business groups in the area the price of property has gone high. Today land price is Rs 10,000 sq ft. Farmers have acres of land, they do not need to worry about anything.

Arora asks,” you must have noticed many shops of property dealers?

yes,” I nodded, “ and lot of shops of construction material also.

yes, new houses are being constructed everyday, lands are being sold on a high price, influx of cash is sudden,” Arora said,” this is how the culture of the town is changing. But you still have plenty of shops with old architectural features. Many shops still 3 or 5 chambers and antechambers which we call as "teen khan" or "panch khan". First chamber was used to display goods at the shop, where as rest were used as godowns.Armature of the shop was constructed out of bamboo poles. Walls were made out of mud, lime and stones and used to be 18inch or 24inch thick. Where as ceiling was prepared with mud and was covered with a thick layer of straw.

There I thought to take leave from Arora and explore the market on my own. And noticed despite all the changes taking place around there are many buildings and shops in the market with medieval feel in their form and design. They had corbelled arch, cchajja with brackets, niches, wooden doors with iron rings.

The shop which caught my eyes most was of “Ladies Beauty Parlor”. Interesting part was that billboard announces that it’s a parlor but when you look at the shop you can see a woman sitting on the floor and showing her customer bangles of different shapes and sizes. It was a open shop without any windows or doors and racks on the wall was filled with hair pins, combs, bangles, bindis and powder packets. She was selling these products under the board of beauty parlor. So you can imagine it was a beauty parlor with a difference. Out of all interesting things, I spotted the most interesting which was a “Photo Studio” named as R.K STUDIO.