“With colorful carpets spread across the road and expensive glass ware glistening in the early rise of the sun, is something that I miss the most. When I was a kid, my father used to take my brother and me to the market. The name itself was so mysterious that we would never say no to wake up in the early hours,” recollects 70 year old Mahjabeen Sadatulla, a long time resident of Hyderabad.
Fascinating as it sounds ‘Chor Bazaar’ is definitely a walk down to the memory lane. My interest started when I overheard my Hyderabdi friends talking about where to buy cheap appliances and one of them came up with the name ‘Chor Bazaar’. My imagination suddenly evoked hundreds of images of men dressed in old Nizam style with women in burkhas and a long street bustling with people in dim lights. People selling old pottery, artifacts, antiques, fancy jewelry, decorative glasses, carpets, shawls, bronze and copper décor, horses, camels and other things. The entire image looked very much influenced from watching old Aladdin cartoon films!
With all these imaginations I went ahead to find out more about the present day ‘Chor Bazaar’. Located in the old city of Hyderabad, it is popularly known as the Jumairat Bazaar. Going back in time, it all started in the period of Nizam rule, more than a century ago, when goods used by Nizam used to be sold at Ghode ki Khabar (a place where a horse is buried) in Dhul pet in old city. Slowly it transformed into a place where a wide range of second hand articles were sold on a weekly basis. It was not only for poor, who came for a good bargain, but also for the rich, who came to buy rare antiques. In the present scenario the place is perfectly legal. In fact, it is now under Government’s control and is given for lease to these people to sell their goods.
As the name suggests, the bazaar only functions on a Thursday. Sellers would sell their goods on Thursday and on Friday, after the prayers, would enjoy the weekend. Therefore the time for the bazaar seemed very appropriate. After enquiring with a lot of people I geared up to visit the place. Driving down the empty streets of old city seemed like I entered a ghost town. It looked deserted in the early hour of darkness with dim street lights casting a shadow of my imagination. From the corners of the street people underneath their thick dark blankets were waking up for the day, which seemed like they were rising from the dead! One might get a bit lost for the first time as all the streets looked same to me, but eventually after enquiring from a lady walking on the road, I reached the right place.
It was 6.30am and still dark. To my surprise I found nothing that was described to me or what I had imagined. As I drove into the street I felt disappointed. For a minute I thought this wasn’t the place. After I reached the end of the road I parked the car safe and wondered what happened to all the dim yellow and orange lights. Within ten minutes, suddenly the entire street came to life. I saw people with bags filled with goods settling things on the road side as fast as possible. People were arriving on their scooters with bundles of clothes. Things were being displayed on the mats, spread in each side of the road and buyers started to flock the place.
It was the most exciting and interesting place I had ever been to. Don’t know how many generations must have walked on the same road. I had never seen such enthusiasm among buyers. They were hopping from one kiosk to another and bargaining with prices I had never imagined. I was a bit scared, being the only woman, but no one seemed bothered with my presence and I completely went unnoticed.
If anyone thinks that he or she can buy stolen articles for a very low price, they are mistaken. It is not a place where you get stolen articles, but you get used articles. The bazaar opens as early in the morning as 5am (during summer) and 6-7am (in winter). It closes approximately by 12 noon.
The only point in the above assumption which is correct is that, you get goods for a very low price. The prices are less than 50% of the original price. There is little scope for bargaining, only if you think it’s worth the effort.
I came across such wonderful things which were beyond my imagination. Spare parts of automobiles, television, electronic equipment, furniture, decorative items, bicycles, rickshaws, tyres, carpets, antiques, gems and stones, old coins, clothes, shoes, watches and even horses and camels! The condition of the goods varies. Some are repaired, some are shabby (which may not work), and some looked new. There are hidden gems everywhere around and you just need the patience to pick what you are looking for. Some of the sellers are aged and experienced and it’s a treat to just watch them talk. Most of them will not entertain, if you are only there for a chat. They are extremely particular and strict business is the motto.
It is surprising to know the means by which they get variety of goods. I went ahead and tried speaking to one of the aged seller who had a rather different thing to offer. Mr. Yousuf, has been selling old rusted nails, utensils, axes, grass cutters, etc. for the last 35 years. When I asked him about who are his customers, he simply replied, “No one in particular. Whoever is in need of these things come and buy.” He went ahead saying, “Hamare zamane mai ye badi shaan thi…hamare abba bhi yahi bechte the. Ab zamaana hi badal gaya hai” (In our time this was a big thing, my father use to sell the same. Now the generation has changed). He explained how sellers purchase things from the ‘Chor Bazaar’ of Mumbai and that nothing sold in Jumairat bazaar is stolen. While another seller, sitting next to him, told that goods are picked by rag pickers, found in scrap yards and raddi waalaas, who buy used articles from households.
In between all the hardware spare parts, I found the right place for myself. An old loud spoken man along with his assistant (who was 12 years old) was selling old coins. He had a variety of which I had only heard of and never seen. Along with them he also sold gems and stones, which he claimed to be real. But sitting there aimlessly for five minutes dint serve my purpose. He immediately told me to go away if I am not interested in buying. Out of fear I was about to leave when my eyes fell on old East India Company coins. I told him that I was interested to buy them and he suddenly spoke soft! He only spoke about the coins and showed me other coins during the Nizaam rule. But in between he revealed that some people produce fake coins and sell them to people like us. I somehow presumed that he did the same! To have a safe way out, and not land up paying extra for a fake item, I chose two simple coins worth Rs. 50 each.
My last halt was at a live auction of products which was being conducted underneath a tent. A man stood on the stage with a mike in his hand trying to convince people to buy a water thermos worth Rs. 100, as if it was made out of gold! Personally, the entire set up looked very comical as disinterested faces looked upon him. There was a stack of boxes filled with products ranging from iron, rice cooker, tea sets, and crockery lined behind him. And finally someone from the crowd bought the thermos.
I ended my visit at sharp 8am and left the over-crowded bazaar with a satisfaction of being able to purchase at least one thing. But the only fear that dawned upon me was what if the spare parts being sold at the nearby kiosk were of my car. After all it was a friends’ car that I had borrowed.
The only point in the above assumption which is correct is that, you get goods for a very low price. The prices are less than 50% of the original price. There is little scope for bargaining, only if you think it’s worth the effort.
I came across such wonderful things which were beyond my imagination. Spare parts of automobiles, television, electronic equipment, furniture, decorative items, bicycles, rickshaws, tyres, carpets, antiques, gems and stones, old coins, clothes, shoes, watches and even horses and camels! The condition of the goods varies. Some are repaired, some are shabby (which may not work), and some looked new. There are hidden gems everywhere around and you just need the patience to pick what you are looking for. Some of the sellers are aged and experienced and it’s a treat to just watch them talk. Most of them will not entertain, if you are only there for a chat. They are extremely particular and strict business is the motto.
It is surprising to know the means by which they get variety of goods. I went ahead and tried speaking to one of the aged seller who had a rather different thing to offer. Mr. Yousuf, has been selling old rusted nails, utensils, axes, grass cutters, etc. for the last 35 years. When I asked him about who are his customers, he simply replied, “No one in particular. Whoever is in need of these things come and buy.” He went ahead saying, “Hamare zamane mai ye badi shaan thi…hamare abba bhi yahi bechte the. Ab zamaana hi badal gaya hai” (In our time this was a big thing, my father use to sell the same. Now the generation has changed). He explained how sellers purchase things from the ‘Chor Bazaar’ of Mumbai and that nothing sold in Jumairat bazaar is stolen. While another seller, sitting next to him, told that goods are picked by rag pickers, found in scrap yards and raddi waalaas, who buy used articles from households.
In between all the hardware spare parts, I found the right place for myself. An old loud spoken man along with his assistant (who was 12 years old) was selling old coins. He had a variety of which I had only heard of and never seen. Along with them he also sold gems and stones, which he claimed to be real. But sitting there aimlessly for five minutes dint serve my purpose. He immediately told me to go away if I am not interested in buying. Out of fear I was about to leave when my eyes fell on old East India Company coins. I told him that I was interested to buy them and he suddenly spoke soft! He only spoke about the coins and showed me other coins during the Nizaam rule. But in between he revealed that some people produce fake coins and sell them to people like us. I somehow presumed that he did the same! To have a safe way out, and not land up paying extra for a fake item, I chose two simple coins worth Rs. 50 each.
My last halt was at a live auction of products which was being conducted underneath a tent. A man stood on the stage with a mike in his hand trying to convince people to buy a water thermos worth Rs. 100, as if it was made out of gold! Personally, the entire set up looked very comical as disinterested faces looked upon him. There was a stack of boxes filled with products ranging from iron, rice cooker, tea sets, and crockery lined behind him. And finally someone from the crowd bought the thermos.
I ended my visit at sharp 8am and left the over-crowded bazaar with a satisfaction of being able to purchase at least one thing. But the only fear that dawned upon me was what if the spare parts being sold at the nearby kiosk were of my car. After all it was a friends’ car that I had borrowed.
