Stories off the beaten path: Flea Market Fun

Whether you’re a bargain hunter extraordinaire, a photography enthusiast or are just really into crowds and old stuff; then the Sunday market at Ellisbridge is the place for you to go.

Called the Ravivari or Gurji market and set up in the old part of Ahmedabad, this quaint little weekend market teems with life- chaotic and colorful.

Initially started as a flea market with second hand goods from all sorts of categories and antiques, the ‘Ravivari’ has now evolved into a full-fledged bargain market were you can get everything from electronics to clothes to garden gnomes.

Now if you’re a brand fanatic; if quality and thread count and reviews in gadget guru are your thing, then this isn’t the place for you. However if you love the thrill of the hunt and finding a 1930 diamond pin gramophone makes you feel like Indian Jones (yes I did mean Indian Jones, it isn't a typo)… then please- step through the looking glass into wonderland .

The first thing that strikes you is ‘where’s the road?”

Makeshift stalls and handcarts piled high with wares fight for space on both sides along with the milling throng. The raucous cries of vendors create a symphony of cacophony on both sides. Press on! oh brave retail therapy seeker!- for at the other end of this chaos lies Xanadu. You will find everything here- hardware nuts and bolts merging seamlessly with cheap Sony knock offs and shockingly atrocious but gorgeously kitschy copies of Ed Hardy t shirts.

Take your time at each stall, linger and browse, because amidst the clatter clutter of common stuff you find priceless gems.

At a stall selling cheap radios, tucked away into the back, we found a pristine oak wood gramophone! The only flaw being an easily replaceable pin.

One vendor had his hardware of nuts bolts pins strewn casually across a mat; on closer inspection…Baam! Pristine coin dated to the Mughal period rubbing grooves with faucet washers.

Second hand books as far as the eyes can see; beautiful beautiful books which you thought were even out of publication. For the comic book aficionado you’ll find Tarzan and phantom comics from ’93, for the serious reader ; manuals on documentary photography which went out of publication in ’85 but has all the tricks of the trade from the masters . A well thumbed through copy of ‘Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance’ with an adorable scribbled dedication on the front page from a father to his son

And one of the crowning glories for me – mint condition, still in the cover, working wax LPs- The Yardbirds, Buddy Holly, Muddy waters – I’d go on but I’m in the throes of a musical ‘BIG Find” orgasm just recalling it. And how much does something as priceless as this cost ? 20 Rs.! Not even a dollar!!!

It's amazing the kind of stuff you get here- garden ornaments, automobile spare parts, bicycle tires, scrap metal, clothes sold by weight, household appliances – you ever needed something – you’ll find it here.

Do not hesitate to bargain. It’s the norm here. They will try to bully you , but stand your ground.

This is a photographers' paradise as well - the crowds, the colors, the rare artifacts. The important looking official who will try and convince you that this is private property and that you aren’t allowed to take pictures is just a minor bother.

Little hint- dress down. You don’t have to be a foreigner to have people quote a higher price or try and bully you – if you even look like you’re not a native Ahmedabadi - a species most famous for its deal making abilities - people will try and wangle more money out of you.

But that’s the beauty of any old world market. Half the fun, is in the bargain.