The charm of neighbourhood markets

Old-timers in Bengaluru will tell you that two markets played a large role in their lives. Those living in northern and eastern Bengaluru will remember cycling or taking an auto to Russell Market at least once a week. Those living in the western or southern suburbs likely made similar trips to the handsome K R Market.

From archival records, we know that utmost care was taken to make these markets functional but also aesthetically pleasing. Indeed, guidebooks and handbooks of the 1930s and 1940s proudly showcased these as ornaments on the cityscape.

Apart from these two iconic structures, the city was dotted with several smaller markets which catered to the needs of people in the neighbourhoods.

A report last week stated that 12 old markets, including Johnson, Cubbonpet and Mavalli markets, are to be ‘renovated’ by the BBMP. Civic officials were quoted saying that they wanted to develop these markets on a public-private partnership model. BBMP would enter into revenue-sharing agreements with companies that would invest in construction.

What do we know about these smaller neighbourhood markets? We know that some have unusual plans. Johnson Market, built in 1929, is sometimes called Russell Market’s poor cousin. Architecturally, it has a distinctive design. The front, flat-roofed portion of stone has a row of shops opening into an arcade. Connected to this by a wide corridor is a rear portion which has a large octagonal space with Mangalore tile roofs, with corridors all around it.

The Cubbonpet Market was possibly designed by the German architect Otto Koenigsberger, who was employed by the Mysore Maharaja’s government for several years. Built in a corner plot, its prominent entrance has a semi-circular archway flanked by circular rooms. In the open space inside, there are raised platforms on which vendors can display their wares, with clear pedestrian paths between these plinths.

The Mavalli Market has a more conventional layout. Earlier called the Visvesvarapuram Market, it probably dates from the mid-1940s. The original plan appears to have comprised a single row of shops facing the main road, with a stone archway at the centre opening into a clear space behind. At some point, a second set of stalls was added, which enclosed the open area, creating a rectangular courtyard. Later renovations added another row of stalls and narrowed the courtyard.

An old board inside this market lists a schedule of rents to be paid by vendors here: Rs 0.05 for a basket of flowers, Rs 0.75 for a cart of peanuts, Rs 0.09 for a sack of vegetables! Though partly obscured by cement, paint and dirt, you can see other items listed here including apples, greens, coconuts, garlic, potatoes and corn.

Cultural centres

But the vibrancy associated with traditional Indian markets has gone out of some of Bengaluru’s smaller markets. None of the items listed on the forgotten board are sold in Mavalli’s old market. Some shops facing the main road sell automobile parts. Most stalls inside are shuttered. Vendors in Cubbonpet Market still sell flowers and fruits, but many stalls remain closed. Even Johnson Market is not as bustling as it was twenty years ago.

Is the BBMP’s plan to modernise these markets the only way to revive and reuse these spaces? Seema Maiya, associate professor of urban design at R V College of Architecture, calls for a different approach. “Government initiatives for old market buildings should balance community needs with speculation for gain,” she says. Previous market renovations, whether in Jayanagar or Malleswaram, have been able to house multiple uses but have not created people-friendly public spaces nor have they provided visibility and opportunities for informal vendors, she points out.

It is important for any market revitalisation to consider local needs and aspirations. Taking the example of Mavalli, Maiya suggests that given its vicinity to Lalbagh, perhaps nurseries and local vendors could be made part of a scheme to sell organic produce in the old market. Perhaps some smaller markets could take inspiration from Ahmedabad, where small open spaces in the crowded historic city have been used to host cultural events.

Instead of looking at these single-storey structures and their unbuilt areas as wasted spaces, one could see urban small markets as important breathing spaces, especially in densely built-up areas, and potentially important cultural centres that can add much to the city’s character.

(Meera Iyer is the author of ‘Discovering Bengaluru’ and the Convenor of INTACH Bengaluru Chapter)