(Text and photos by Pupps Roy)
The huge corner shoe shop upon entering is open and is
displaying Sale. Two middle-aged women are coming out empty handed. Array of
clothing, cheap cosmetics, hair accessories are being sold on the road by the
hawkers under kerosene Hazac light. Everything is available here. This market
has to offer a lot on Mondays like any other day. Sandals, junk jewelry,
skirts, shawl, kurtas, fashionable t-shirts, harem pants, shorts, scarves and
lot of inexpensive pretty looking wallets and bags are being sold. You will be
baffled exploring the scene on an official close day. Some salesman and hawkers
are even aggressive on selling their stuff. The arguments just started between
a customer and the salesman. Not much sell happening today so why not trying a
bit with the customers? They might end up buying some. Customers won’t give up
and hawkers too. This goes on!
So what is the reason? Ajit a local hawker says “The market
needs cleaning once a week so we close it on Mondays." He is fibbing or
does not know the reason because the market is equally dirty like any other
day. Litters are everywhere from plastic packets to crushed coke cans.
"This market is actually close today, only we small time hawkers come with
our stuff to sell", this guy is wrong too. "Incense" the biggest
chain of Delhi urban fashion is open, even "Ritu Wears". They are big
ones. Another comment from a salesman, "We are open for this marriage season,
otherwise we are close". It looks like people just need some reason to
keep their shops open. There are Autos waiting outside, The Car Parking guy is
shouting and directing cars to park properly, Delhi police PCR Van is waiting
around the corner, many food stalls are selling mouthwatering greasy snack. The
entire market is lit up with 60% open stores and many customers going in and
coming out maintaining the hustle-bustle of the market atmosphere but maybe
little less than other day. So what are you waiting? Shop till you drop. Are
you open or close? Yes or no?
Some work on Sundays and some rest on Mondays. Cycle of life
rotates entire Delhi stopping in a loop for a day in our man made seven day
week. Business Delhi. Bizzare bazar. Do they actually shut in any day? Every
Market area of Delhi chooses to stay closed once a week. Really? Have you ever
visited any market on such day and came out lugging shopping bags in two hands?
Delhi is unpredictable. This can happen to you if you visit any market which is
especially close on that particular day of a week. You can even get better deal
specially marked for that day. Yes it happens!
Enter Central Market at Lajpat Nagar? Isn't lajpat nagar
only known for Central Market? This phenomenal Market is officially close on
Mondays. But the entry area is open and also there is a syndicate for Delhi
Police and there are two cops controlling the security measurement and watching
every entrant carefully. No there is no restriction that you cannot enter the
Market. Why are they entering? What will they do in the market on such day? Is
this a residential area? No not at all. Then?
The huge corner shoe shop upon entering is open and is
displaying Sale. Two middle-aged women are coming out empty handed. Array of
clothing, cheap cosmetics, hair accessories are being sold on the road by the
hawkers under kerosene Hazac light. Everything is available here. This market
has to offer a lot on Mondays like any other day. Sandals, junk jewelry,
skirts, shawl, kurtas, fashionable t-shirts, harem pants, shorts, scarves and
lot of inexpensive pretty looking wallets and bags are being sold. You will be
baffled exploring the scene on an official close day. Some salesman and hawkers
are even aggressive on selling their stuff. The arguments just started between
a customer and the salesman. Not much sell happening today so why not trying a
bit with the customers? They might end up buying some. Customers won’t give up
and hawkers too. This goes on!
So what is the reason? Ajit a local hawker says “The market
needs cleaning once a week so we close it on Mondays." He is fibbing or
does not know the reason because the market is equally dirty like any other
day. Litters are everywhere from plastic packets to crushed coke cans.
"This market is actually close today, only we small time hawkers come with
our stuff to sell", this guy is wrong too. "Incense" the biggest
chain of Delhi urban fashion is open, even "Ritu Wears". They are big
ones. Another comment from a salesman, "We are open for this marriage season,
otherwise we are close". It looks like people just need some reason to
keep their shops open. There are Autos waiting outside, The Car Parking guy is
shouting and directing cars to park properly, Delhi police PCR Van is waiting
around the corner, many food stalls are selling mouthwatering greasy snack. The
entire market is lit up with 60% open stores and many customers going in and
coming out maintaining the hustle-bustle of the market atmosphere but maybe
little less than other day. So what are you waiting? Shop till you drop. Are
you open or close? Yes or no?
How to get there: Nearest Metro station: Lajpat Nagar.
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