On M. Ayyappan’s mat at Sunday Market lies a clutter of scrap - old speakers, brass hooks, used mosquito racquets and TV remote control units - with a tinge of brown. “Stagnant rainwater got into our mats and ware,” he says, showing the puddles on Workshop Road.
Madurai’s iconic Sunday Market at Thilagar Thidal which has been functioning for over 70 years is likened to Delhi’s Chor Bazaar. The monsoon may seem a pleasant relief from heat for city residents, but the traders loathe the rain as it makes the market slushy. S. K. Sonaimuthu, who runs his shop here for the past 30 years, says every time it rains, the market becomes a mess. “In summer, we spread our ware all along the road. On rainy days, we arrive as early as 4 or 5 in the morning to get a dry patch. The sales somehow seem to be more during rainy days. Maybe it is because the weather is conducive for people to do shopping,” he reasons.
T. Mayalagu, who set up his shop three years ago after spending several years as a labourer in Malaysia, says he has some valuable jugs, old iron boxes and traditional south Indian cookeryware for sale. “People equate these goods with waste goods but some of these items are precious. We sell them for cheap because they were discarded after passing many hands,” he says.
Very cheap
Fourteen-year-old S. Kalimuthu, who lives nearby, visits the market often. “I have come here to buy a pair of speakers. Goods are a lot cheaper here than the big showrooms,” he says.
The market with 150 shops and its vicinity has not seen any development. Those selling old video recorders, laptops, CDs, toys and clothes, place their mats atop gutters. K. Raja, whose shop is placed next to an open drain, says he did not arrive early enough to grab a good spot.
Scrap collecting
Mr. Sonaimuthu says most dealers who sell at the market go door-to-door during the course of the week to collect scrap.
“If we collect items worth ₹10,000, we’ll be able to sell for ₹ 2,000. We sell the rest to bigger scrap dealers through the rest of the week. Since we have been putting up our shop only on Sundays, we do not have an association to represent us,” he says.
All of the traders say they do not have any complaint as such. “At least we are being allowed to sell and earn some money. That is most important,” says Mr. Ayyappan.
