“If it is a Sunday, I can be found here,” says K. Annamalai, a karate master from Thirubuvanai, who has set his eyes on a pair of used roller-skater shoes.
He is referring to Puducherry’s Sunday market which attracts residents, tourists and visitors from near and far in droves.
This is as much a haggler zone as a haven of deep discounts. The trader is asking for Rs. 500, while Mr. Annamalai wants a deal at Rs. 350. He knows a new pair will cost almost Rs.2,000.
Every Sunday, M.G. Road turns into a sea of humanity as traders from Puducherry, Tiruchi, Tindivanam, Chennai, and Salem, and shoppers converge on this weekly rendezvous.
Some stalls open by 7 a.m. and shut as late as 11 p.m. “Our market is famous in the tourist circuit,” says P.S. Kannagasabai, one of the presidents of the Sunday Market Association.
Many shops, after Aadi sale, sell the surplus stock to traders, he says. “You will find goods from shops which have closed down at discounts of up to 75 per cent.”
The Sunday market began in 1974 with 40 stalls, he adds. There was an order in the 1980s to shut down the market. It was reversed following the intervention of political leaders and an appeal from the traders.
Customers come from surrounding areas, including Chidambaram, Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Tindivanam and Kalpakkam.
Traders say business is brisk in the first two weeks of a month.
Apparu, a trader from Theni, gets shirts tailored in his village and brings them to the market. “Sales are lower than what they used to be as customers have so many shops to choose from,” says Apparu, who has been trading in the market for 25 years.
Jeeva, a cashew nut trader from Panduruthi, heard about the market from her neighbours and decided to try her luck here. “During festivals, I make almost Rs.1,500. On regular days, I make around Rs. 200,” she says.
One can also find foreign language and rare books. Pandian S., who works in one of the book stalls, says French expats and Franco-Tamils ask for particular French books at the stall.
Matheiu Abalzi, a French national who has just relocated to Puducherry for work, decides to learn how to tie a lungi. “I want to learn a few Indian things,” he says. His colleagues Myriam Alimoussa and Elodie Rabille say they find a lot of variety and good clothes for cheap prices.
For many traders, it is possible to earn a month’s income through four Sundays. Nearly 4,000 families are supported directly or indirectly through the market. “I have built my entire life from what I earned through this market,” says Mr. Kannagasabai.
