Go shop at Hyderabad’s oldest weekly market

Hyderabad: Come Thursday and a lively ambience bustling with activity prevails at the Hyderabad’s oldest weekly market, Jummerat Bazaar, held on the banks of the River Musi between the Musalamjung Bridge and Puranapul. Jummerat Bazaar, which literally means Thursday Market in Urdu, has been a weekly ritual for most people in the older parts of […]

Hyderabad: Come Thursday and a lively ambience bustling with activity prevails at the Hyderabad’s oldest weekly market, Jummerat Bazaar, held on the banks of the River Musi between the Musalamjung Bridge and Puranapul.

Jummerat Bazaar, which literally means Thursday Market in Urdu, has been a weekly ritual for most people in the older parts of the city since before all the malls and grand shopping complexes came into existence. And now the market is pulling in crowds from the newer parts of the city as well, with some heading south just to witness the mega market.

“It is the oldest market in the city and is being held since the Nizam’s era. Although there were regular markets then, people dropped in here to purchase miscellaneous stuff, mostly used clothes, utensils, tools, spare parts of bicycles and rickshaws, etc,” recalls Farooq Taher, principal at a government-run school and a resident of Rein Bazaar in the old city.

Of late, one can find traders selling plasticware, carpets and mats, tools, vehicle spare parts, second-hand electronic gadgets, mobile phones and chargers here.

Over 500 vendors from different parts of the city converge on the stretch with their goods from the early hours of Thursday and set up their shops on the roadside. A few traders drop in on Wednesday evening itself to ensure they find a place to set up their stalls.

“People start visiting the market from 5 am itself. It has a sort of ‘first come, first serve basis’ concept. Those who drop in early manage to get really good stuff at cheaper prices,” explains Mohd Shakeel, who deals in antiques and electronic goods.

Amongst the visitors are electricians, plumbers, mechanics and others who look forward to purchase spare parts at throwaway prices. “Sometimes we get spare parts of old vehicle models that are not available in the market. So we drop in to check if we can find our requirements,” says Mohd Haji, a mechanic from Kalapather.

The attraction of the market are two stalls where articles like pressure cookers, bed sheets and pillow cover sets, mattresses, electronic gadgets and other things are put up for auction.

“People participate in the auction and get the articles at a reasonable price, if not a throwaway price, as they are new pieces,” explains Mohd Shafe, one of the organisers of such public auctions.

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