How capital's Queen's Way' turned into Janpath market

New Delhi: A string of boutiques line the street, hawkers vend their wares and jewellers show off gorgeous designs in their stores. Like any other market, it is a hub for bargaining up to the point of no profit to the shopkeeper. Janpath market is one of the most famous markets amongst tourists and youngsters. Originally known as “Queen’s Way”, it was an important part of Luteyns’ design of Delhi.

There are shops that sell export surplus, trinkets and jootis, ethnic Indian clothes, embroidered bags, brass artifacts, carpets, Pashmina shawls from Kashmir and the list goes on. As you cross the Janpath market, located on the left of the handloom house is a mini market known as the Gujarati Mahila market. It is a wide lane with small shops and vendors on the pavement.

In conversation with this correspondent, a middle aged woman, Manju Bhoj hailing from Gujarat said: “I have been sitting here and selling these handicraft products for the past 26 years. It is the only source of livelihood for my family.” It is a lean business season for them as when the winter sets in the sale volume starts rising. On an average, their sale turnover is between '500 and '1000 per day. The North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) has allotted the lane to these women vendors and charges them a certain amount of money per month.

The other shopping street in the market is a pavement alongside the Indian Oil building where hundreds of shoppers throng to buy clothes and jewelry. There is plenty of scope for bargaining as shopkeepers tend to inflate the prices. A visitor to the market, Satarupa Biswas said, “I usually come here to buy earrings and jootis at cheaper rates.”

Another young buyer said: “I bargain a lot here. I bought a top priced at '650 for '300.” If the intense bargaining takes a toll on you, you could always recharge your batteries at nearby eateries at reasonable prices.

The market has its own old world charm attracting people from all corners of society. However, with the growth of e-commerce and malls, the number of customers have dwindled. Shopkeepers who operate on wafer thin margins are facing competition.

One of the sellers said, “Some e-commerce websites source their products from Janpath and other such flea markets and sell them online.” The market is facing an existential threat. It may not have the wherewithal to fight the e-commerce giant.