A friend of mine had once written an essay that if he were to take a foreign tourist to India the first place he would take is a Bazaar. Bazaar in Hindi is a market place, as a souk in Arabic. All the Indians know the feel is completely different - the haggling of the prices, the variety of assortments, the row of shops with differential pricing in all of them. If it doesn't work in one, move to another and so on till you get the best deal.
Bazaars serve different wares. Here are the most prominent ones in Chennai :
1. Parrys -
Source : New Indian express
Parrys or Parry's corner is where everyone in Chennai comes for retail items at wholesale price . It has everything under the Sun and is the ultimate market place . Fruits, jewellery, fancy ware and everything you could think of is just there within the streets of Parrys. One of the few places where you could get everything under the sun. The place is meant for wholesalers. A colleague had once mentioned that a friend of his buys items from here and sells it in Singapore and that's his business.
Cringy, narrow alleys on the side sell specific items. For example - one street is dedicated to just wedding cards. And shop after shop is selling the same. Most of the designs are available across the shops. Another street just sold pens and notebooks. Besides the regular shops hawkers sell their wares on the pavement. The place is unkempt but busy and bustling with people. This is also one of the older areas in Chennai. Ensure you bargain well or have someone with you who could bargain well.
2. Pondy Bazaar
No doubts on the Bazaar status of this ! It is in the name after all. Road side hawkers sell purses, cheap clothing, fake jewellery, and shoes. Branded stores exist along with the street hawkers. Instore is where I usually go to purchase kurtas and kurtis. Ratna Stores is haven for those looking for value for money utensils. And after the shopping head to Balajee Bhavan (opposite Instore) for a meal and to refresh.
3. Usman Road and Ranganathan Street -
Ranganathan street may be more of the Bazaar but the crowd in these stores lays bare the claim they can qualify for a bazaar. If you intend to shop here leave your vehicle, catch an auto and come over. Ranganathan Street has Saravana Stores, which is the desi or tamilian version of a hypermarket. In a place of resource constraint, and in this case - land, they have managed the jugaad well. Every floor has a certain set of things to buy and you climb the floor above to shop some more. Try not to make the mistake of going there over a weekend. The agoraphobics and the claustrophobics can get a panic attack seeing the tide of people overwhelming them. I had the misfortune to visit this place on a Sunday evening .. and hence the advice.
Strategy lessons teach you never stay close to you competitor. Chennai is famous for silks coming in from Kancheepuram. The name Chennai Silks is also the first name that comes to mind when you think of Chennai and its silks. But you have Pothys a walking distance from Chennai Silks, Kumaran Silks at the side, Nalli opposite, Rmkv not too far. These silk stores have four to five floors (not too sure about Kumaran) . When I took mom the first time here she was lost for words seeing the magnitude and the selection of clothes , mostly sarees at these places.
Silk sarees are synonymous with gold ornaments. Hence on the same stretch of road jewelers have opened shop here. The five storey Joy Alukkas building can be seen from far. GRT - the other old shop is a stone's throw . Malabar Gold is a little distance away on the same road. Nalli and Chennai Silks have their in house gold stores.
Lunch after shopping is normally at Murugan Idly a good walk away. There is also this sugarcane juice seller on the way. Pretty refreshing on a summer afternoon.
4. Sowcarpet - The place to go for junk jewellery.
5. Koyambedu market -
The market is active from 4 am in the morning. Vegetables and fruits if wanted in whole sale this is the place to be. Most kirana store owners come here and buy the vegetables. Those with big families or shopping for the month find it way more economical to buy the less- easily perishable items from here. I also heard of 2 to 3 families clubbing together and buying their month's stock of vegetables from here.
A flower market is also here. Don't have pictures to show though.
6. Ritchie street - Electronic hub
That's all. If you have any interesting places which I may have missed out please feel free to comment.
Cringy, narrow alleys on the side sell specific items. For example - one street is dedicated to just wedding cards. And shop after shop is selling the same. Most of the designs are available across the shops. Another street just sold pens and notebooks. Besides the regular shops hawkers sell their wares on the pavement. The place is unkempt but busy and bustling with people. This is also one of the older areas in Chennai. Ensure you bargain well or have someone with you who could bargain well.
2. Pondy Bazaar
Source : Internet
No doubts on the Bazaar status of this ! It is in the name after all. Road side hawkers sell purses, cheap clothing, fake jewellery, and shoes. Branded stores exist along with the street hawkers. Instore is where I usually go to purchase kurtas and kurtis. Ratna Stores is haven for those looking for value for money utensils. And after the shopping head to Balajee Bhavan (opposite Instore) for a meal and to refresh.
3. Usman Road and Ranganathan Street -
Source : Internet
Ranganathan street may be more of the Bazaar but the crowd in these stores lays bare the claim they can qualify for a bazaar. If you intend to shop here leave your vehicle, catch an auto and come over. Ranganathan Street has Saravana Stores, which is the desi or tamilian version of a hypermarket. In a place of resource constraint, and in this case - land, they have managed the jugaad well. Every floor has a certain set of things to buy and you climb the floor above to shop some more. Try not to make the mistake of going there over a weekend. The agoraphobics and the claustrophobics can get a panic attack seeing the tide of people overwhelming them. I had the misfortune to visit this place on a Sunday evening .. and hence the advice.
Strategy lessons teach you never stay close to you competitor. Chennai is famous for silks coming in from Kancheepuram. The name Chennai Silks is also the first name that comes to mind when you think of Chennai and its silks. But you have Pothys a walking distance from Chennai Silks, Kumaran Silks at the side, Nalli opposite, Rmkv not too far. These silk stores have four to five floors (not too sure about Kumaran) . When I took mom the first time here she was lost for words seeing the magnitude and the selection of clothes , mostly sarees at these places.
Silk sarees are synonymous with gold ornaments. Hence on the same stretch of road jewelers have opened shop here. The five storey Joy Alukkas building can be seen from far. GRT - the other old shop is a stone's throw . Malabar Gold is a little distance away on the same road. Nalli and Chennai Silks have their in house gold stores.
Lunch after shopping is normally at Murugan Idly a good walk away. There is also this sugarcane juice seller on the way. Pretty refreshing on a summer afternoon.
4. Sowcarpet - The place to go for junk jewellery.
5. Koyambedu market -
Source : Internet
The market is active from 4 am in the morning. Vegetables and fruits if wanted in whole sale this is the place to be. Most kirana store owners come here and buy the vegetables. Those with big families or shopping for the month find it way more economical to buy the less- easily perishable items from here. I also heard of 2 to 3 families clubbing together and buying their month's stock of vegetables from here.
A flower market is also here. Don't have pictures to show though.
6. Ritchie street - Electronic hub
That's all. If you have any interesting places which I may have missed out please feel free to comment.
