The Chor Bazar is a permanent source of attraction in all major Indian cities. Of course it might take different names in the different metros...
The Chor Bazar is a permanent source of attraction in all major Indian cities. Of course it might take different names in the different metros: In Delhi, Chor Bazar sits behind the ramparts of the Red Fort and comes to life on Sundays to trade a collection of ‘second hand’ goods. In Hyderabad, the Jumay Rathbazar (Thursday night market) where one could find heirlooms from the nawabs, later became the ‘Chor’ Bazar of Hyderabad. Bangalore has its Gujli bazar and till the railways took over the area few years ago, Moore Market was the ultimate chor bazar of Madras, with just about anything available.
But the Chor Bazar in Mumbai is the most important of these markets in India. In the middle of the Mohammaed Ali Road, in around 1,500 square metres of Central Bombay is the symbol of Indian entrepreneurship called Chor Bazar – a market that will always remain untouched by value-added tax (VAT). On Friday it is the official address for Mumbai second-hand market. Before dawn, bleary-eyed collegians and hard-nosed collectors arrive for a steal. From Ming vases to Murano glasses, from microwaves to motorcycles, Bombay’s Chor Bazar has it all. This is a veritable treasure trove for the art and antique collector, serious shopaholic, and just about anyone looking for a good bargain. Self-styled aesthetes, however, better beware. Chor Bazar is not only about great deals and bargains, it’s also about duplication and fakes. So, that priceless Ming that you paid a small fortune for may well turn out to be the work of the neighbourhood potter.
If you can distinguish between genuine teak and a cunning coat of varnish, or if you simply have an eye for good things, you might find a treasure among the beautiful period pieces If you are looking for something specific, like a flywheel for the Adler sewing machine that has been in your family for generations, you could get lucky. Collectors of coins, lamps, and old vinyl records scour the street routinely for bargain additions to their hoard. On a lucky day, you could walk off with 20 vintage LPs – Faiyaz Khan or Allauddin Khan – for Rs. 400. But how did it get the name Chor Bazar? One of the oldest Chor Bazar shopkeepers explains, “every Friday there would be a mela where sellers would be making too much noise in the market, it came to be known as shor (noise) bazaar. But the visitors turned shor into chor. And it has stuck. It’s wrong to say that everything sold here was stolen from somewhere.” The term Chor Bazaar got legitimacy because of the throwaway prices of goods.
“If the emblem of your Mercedes went missing yesterday, you would find it at Chor Bazaar the next day. That helped establish its notoriety,” one Mumbai historian explains.
To be a successful buyer, one important point is that you must know the value of the items that are displayed. One of my friends, an expert in electronic items, was able to get a first rate reel tape recorder for a pittance, as he could guess what was making the item unserviceable.The shopkeeper did not! But mostly, the dealer with his experience of the second hand market will be able to gauge your bargaining capability, by just looking at you.
Historian from Mumbai Sharda Dwivedi advises the collectors and duped ones: “Don’t dress to kill, the prices will then kill you; don’t dress in rags, the sellers will never believe you can afford it, appear knowledgeable or take along somebody who is”..
The trick is to find out the approximate range of the value of the item you have set your heart on.. The shop owners respect knowledge. Do a reconnaissance. When you’re planning a major purchase, it makes good sense to shop around, compare prices and get an idea of exactly what you want and what constitutes a fair price for it. Know your strengths.
The key to successful haggling lies in understanding that there is room for negotiation in virtually every purchase, and then leveraging your commercial clout to the maximum extent.
But remember, the shopkeeper would have noticed the gleam in your eyes, as you looked at the carved walnut chair and would not be taken in by the air of nonchalance, as you made the offer (50 percent of the asking price) and walked away in mock anger at his refusal.
