Understanding The Darkness In The Lights

The twists and turns of Chandi Chowk were amazing but what caught my eye was the Bhagirath Palace - Asia's largest electrical market. When I entered the market, a totally different and strange view appeared in front of my eyes altogether. I felt that I had stepped into some kind of  maze. A maze where every corn could be compared to these jam packed shops, people rushing here and there, lights here n there..

sketched scene of the market
credits- self

The people, the kind of ambiance, the structure of that place, was something that I'd never seen before. In those narrow and dark lanes, I found some special kind of brightness. The lights hanging at every possible shop presented a view which was weirdly attractive. Shopkeepers sitting at their respective shops, following a daily routine of coming to that congested place for the purpose of earning for themselves and their families. But that was not it. More than the fact that this place was a source of their earning, it was their identity. There was so much about these shopkeepers and this place. Inseparability I assume! Maybe something  about the place they were nested in? Well that was my mission. Inquiring about their life ,their experiences, their facets in Bhagirath. 

My  challenge was to know about various aspects like the processes and systems they followed in their day to day trade.The manufacturing of their material, processes of packaging, selling and servicing, all the possible processes involved. I went to all those people one by one .. But not everybody agreed to answer my questions. Only a few were welcoming, rest of them chided me away refusing to answer my questions. Some thought I had come to hear to their problems, some thought that I was just intruding their privacy by asking them questions and some didn't pay attention at all. But I still went on with my interview. 

Starting with a man who had been working there for last 20 years. I was very hesitant in asking him anything but he seemed to be a sweet man. He offered me a seat. I took a sigh of relief and moved on. I was stunned to know that he had been working their for such a long time. What made him stick to that place? I asked him about his shop, the kind of goods he sold, etc. His shop was years old. He sold electronics like bulbs, lights, switches. Asking him about the manufacturing of the goods, he replied that all the processes were carried out in Wazirpur industrial area, near Pitampura. He himself handled all the billing and accounting processes. He said that his shop was doing a great business and he answered all my questions politely. It felt nice talking to him. After all he shared a part of his life with me.

Moving ahead, I interviewed a man who was very harsh by behavior. He wasn't comfortable in answering my questions. My aspect of interest was to ask him about the processes related to his business and I successfully managed to dig out the answers from him. He said that every shop in bhagirath is levied with taxes equal to 12.5%(on total sales).

Further I went to this shop who's owner literally shooed me away. He did not answer any of my questions at all. It felt a total dismay but I can't ignore a learning which those rejections gave me. I learned one important aspect of human behavior. I realized that though all we humans are born same but that never keeps us same. Our associations, our lifestyle, our class make us different from each other and we tend to cling with the people who we can relate with. Maybe that is the reason that some shopkeepers did not answer me because they realized I wasn't one of them.

I also spoke to some thela wallas in bhagirath, selling tea. Special tea(with more milk) for 15 and normal tea for 5(watery). It was his main source of income, he owned the thela since 20 years. 

Another chat wala earned a salary of 10,000 bucks who had was working on the thela owned by someone else. Working since 40 years, his thela was famous in the entire market. He makes an amazing chaat and is specialized in dahi bhallas.

Concluding this journey of mine about this historic place, I must admit that conclusions to such experiences can only be given on a paper. The reality is that this journey has given me an immense learning and unforgettable experience. I may never stop while writing, such is bhagirath place...