Amid dip in temperature, Sunday Market switches into winter mode

Srinagar, Oct 27: With dip in temperature, the weekly flea market popularly known as Sunday Market has switched into winter mode registering brisk sale of warm clothes and jackets.

Today, the market witnesses brisk sale of winter items and clothes at affordable prices. Asif Ahmad, a young vendor who has been working at the market for the past five years, said that they have put warm clothes for sale.

“I am selling sweaters for females for Rs 200 each. Irrespective of style and material, the price is the same. That is the beauty of this market, that the prices are affordable for high-quality clothes,” said Asif while attending a group of customers.

Most of the vendors in the market, stretching from TRC to Jahangir Chowk, switch their products based on the weather and demand. Bilal Ahmad, another vendor, who has been working for over a decade in the market, sells Kashmiri art in the summer. “Every year, as the winter approaches, I start selling woolen socks for winters. Sales will pick up now as the temperature goes down. Most of us start preparing for winter in October itself,” Ahmad said.

In addition to clothes, the market is full of electric items, kitchenware, matting, and other items. Many sellers who have shops prefer to set up their stalls in the market on Sunday.

Mushtaq Ahmad, another vendor, sells blankets in winter. He works as a distributor and has many stalls across the market on a commission basis.

“Be it poor or rich, everyone visits this market, and that is why even relatively high-end items are sold here. At least 20 people are working with me on different stalls. This place is our livelihood, and thousands of people earn from the market directly or indirectly,” Mushtaq said.

Shoppers were seen flocking the stalls and making purchases on Sunday. Many youth prefer this market due to the range of items it offers.

“We usually wear thriftier clothes as they are fashionable and trendy these days. The market provides foreign brands, but one has to be an expert when it comes to purchasing from the market. I usually come with my friends almost every Sunday and get some of the best items to wear,” Faheem, a young shopper, said.

Many families were seen-buying winter items like blankets, coats, and clothes for their children. “Given the inflation, such markets are good options. With changing times, this market is also getting costlier because normal shop owners are also putting their items here. Nevertheless, this is better than the costly showrooms, and for a common many, what is better than saving a few bucks on shopping,” Farooq Ahmad, another shopper, said.