VADODARA: Who would believe that a bicycle or a gramophone made in 1930, seen on the internet, existed within reach of Barodians? But, surprisingly they do and that too right here, in the cultural capital of the state.
The weekly flea market, locally known as Shukrawari is one place where citizens will find some of the rarest and most antique things. The
flea market
that came into existence decades ago during the Gaekwadi era at Fatehpura, shifted to
Bhutdi Zampa
in Karelibaug in 2008 due to communal tension in Fatehpura.
Gopal Atmaram, who is a second generation seller at the market told TOI: “After the market shifted to Karelibaug, the original charm of the market was lost. Years ago sellers used to come even from Mumbai to sell their products but now only local sellers come and sell the products.”
With change in location of the market, the kind of products that are sold at the market, have also changed. “Earlier antique products of metal, glass and wood used to be sold at the market but now many electronic products are also sold,” said Atmaram.
Apart from the change in the trend of product even the style of business has changed. The regular buyers stay in touch with the sellers and buy products sitting at home. Atmaram added, “I have hundreds of regular customers and I know who will buy what kind of product. So whenever I get something new, I call one of my regular buyers and tell them about it. If they agree, I deliver the product directly at their homes.”
“Many years ago, Fatehpura was a trading area and traders used to come from distant cities and villages,” said
Hitesh Rana
, owner of a city-based art gallery who is a regular at Shukrawari since last three decades.
Trushar Rana, an industrialist, visits the flea market every Friday since last four years. Trushar said that he has collected hundreds of articles from the market including old telephones, gramophones, typewriters, spool players, video games and their cassettes, metal items among others.
He added, “One needs an eye and the skill of bargaining to buy something from the Shukrawari. There is something over there for everyone.” Before buying products from the flea market, Trushar used to buy things from the scrap dealers. But now he has a collection of 3,000 gramophone records, 18 spool players and hundreds of old telephones all bought from the Shukrawari.
Hitesh added, “It is necessary to have contacts with the sellers at the Shukrawari. It helps in getting the rarest and antique thing from there.”
Both Trushar and Hitesh said that whenever they go to abroad, the first place they go to, is a flea market. Apart from collecting things from the Shukrawari, there are many who even deal in these products. “Either I sell my product to a collector in India or somewhere abroad or give something from my collection in return of something precious,” said Trushar.