By Kshiteeja Tomar
Its not everyday that you find all that you need at the same time and in the same place. On top of that, imagine finding that same place on the bank of a river. Pretty cool, huh?
The Sunday Flea Market is a place which should be definitely be in your bucket list on your trip to Ahmedabad.
Located on the banks of river Sabarmati, and under the famous Ellis Bridge, this bazaar is full of stalls selling antiques and other paraphernalia you’ve seen only in old movies before, be it the classical Gramophone or that battered but intact copy of the Jane Austen book.
So come with us as we trace 600 years of history in the vintage items of this Flea Market.
Not many of us have had the pleasure to see the famous “chirag” from Aladdin’s story that is home to the Genie. But we were lucky enough. But to much disappointment, nothing came out when it was rubbed.
The tiny little telescopes kept alongside were a delight: should make quaint little decor for the stargazer’s desk!
Amidst a dusty old wall clock and a radio box that was long dead, we found this neat little ship sitting quietly, waiting for the storm of tourists to hit it. Reminded me of the Titanic: not because it looked like it, but because it would have been estimated as infallible in it’s own time!
All these antiques have their very own carriages. This old cart is what brings all the antiques to the market – blending smoothly in with the theme of the market. Almost all the vendors and stall holders owned one of these and use them to carry their fragile wares around.
“Tired already? How about some water?” These glasses were reminders to us of the state we were in: tired and thirsty. All of them came in sets of six but could be used well if taken care of. Made of pure copper, they are a must have for every household. Not to mention their aesthetic appeal.
Every writer’s dream come true: these typewriters were a sight for the sore eyes. Best part: you don’t need to pay a hefty sum of money for them… Rs. 1200 seems pretty cheap, right?
Do you see what I see? An amazing collection of worn out classics! The smell of old books can be felt from here. Do you want to know what’s even better? Getting them for just 20 bucks each. TWENTY! *Happy tears pour uncontrollably*
This enormous Gramophone was surprisingly in a very good condition. Want to play your old records? This Gramophone is perfect for you. Get it and dance to the tunes and TGIS (Thank God its Sunday)
Say “Cheese!” to the cameras! The different kinds and sizes of cameras are one of the reasons as to why people come here to the bazaar. With so many options to choose from, one is hardly ever disappointed. And they are old enough to be your DSLR’s grandfathers, so you may want to be respectful.
Imagine our surprise one of the fruit-sellers requested to get clicked. It was hard to not give in. What’s funnier was him asking for his pictures and giving us his card so that we could send those to him. Well, we hope he is glad we made him famous!
These wonderful old clocks replaced the grandfather clocks in the market. Since they hardly seem a day old and look pretty fancy, they would definitely make a wonderful wall piece.
For a Sunday, when you expect people to stay in and get some sleep, the market seemed really crowed. and we have already made plans to visit the market again because there seemed to be a lot that was left unexplored.
All the pretty pictures were clicked by ED’s very own Harshita Sharma.
Not from Ahmedabad? Fret Not! India is full of markets, bazaars and souks like these! Check these out:
Fashion Streets in India
Delhi’s Chor Bazaar
