I’ve been sketching in my neighbourhood for some time, documenting a highway filled with historic buildings constructed through the British period. I used to be making an attempt to document the town’s crumbling heritage. As I continued sketching these dilapidated buildings crammed with character, I realised it was a subject I used to be considering exploring additional. After I visited a historic market whereas making ready for the USK talks on the Colonial affect on Pune, I realised this was one of the best place for me to analyze the impact of colonisation on my beloved metropolis, Pune. This market is exclusive, not solely by way of the historic and aesthetic values it carries however by way of how individuals work together with it. How the locals have reclaimed it and repurposed it. How the British and Indian influences have reconciled and tailored to the brand new realities particularly through the pandemic.
Mandai market is a historic construction which launched a brand new concept of commerce to Indian society. By its century-long evolution it influenced the native economic system and society. Sketching Mandai by these months I noticed it first hand. The way it additionally expresses its society’s pursuits. By this sort of storytelling I’ve realized to dive in deep to search for these untold tales. To spend time with the topic to understand and spotlight the necessity for conservation for an ageing construction.
Indian adaptability
Inside the historic market, distributors can solely promote what they’re licensed to as per the legal guidelines put in place by the British. However outdoors the market this roadside vendor is a main instance of an Indian free to adapt his wares to the ever altering festivals and societal calls for.
For Diwali it’s brooms, for Ganesh pageant it’s inventive pedestals for the set up of the idol, for Dussehra he sat on a mountain of marigolds.
The day earlier than Diwali, this man seemed so cool sitting on his mountain of brooms with handles wrapped in vivid coloured plastic ribbons. It seemed like he had attained nirvana there as he took his calls and dealt with his thronging clients in a peaceable method. From his broom perch he even tried to see that I had a cup of sizzling tea, organized a chair for me to sit down on regardless of my protests, and ensured his males directed the chaotic visitors round me simply in order that I might sketch.
The day earlier than the normal fiscal yr ends, there’s a custom of sweeping the home of poverty. In some homes that is carried out at midnight when Laxmi, the goddess of wealth visits, searching for the cleanest home. New brooms come house to carry wealth and naturally that’s why this good man had offered all his brooms earlier than the day was over.
Bamboo craft altering with each pageant
The historic market didn’t change one iota for the assorted festivals and occasions however the Eco system developed from it continues to adapt to societal wants.
For Diwali one might solely see bamboo lanterns of varied sizes and shapes.
For Ganesh pageant the pedestal shapes for the idols modified to boats, modaks ( the pendant form distinctive to this pageant) followers and thrones of various sizes and shapes.
Some pics of me working.
Diwali at Mandai Market
Inside the historic market, distributors can solely promote what they’re licensed to promote as per the legal guidelines put in place by the British. That’s why it’s at all times enterprise as ordinary contained in the market it doesn’t matter what the event is. Nonetheless outdoors the market there aren’t any legal guidelines governing the roadside distributors. These distributors encircle the market from outdoors.They’re free to adapt their wares in keeping with the demand of the season. The gadgets they promote are distinctive to that very season and have their very own story to inform.
Brooms
I sketched this roadside vendor outdoors Mandai market the day earlier than Diwali.He seemed so cool sitting on his mountain of brooms with handles wrapped in vivid coloured plastic ribbons. It seemed like he had attained nirvana there as he took his calls and dealt with his thronging clients in a peaceable method. From his broom perch he even tried to make me snug by calling for a chair and a cup of tea for me regardless of my protests. As I used to be sketching from the sting of a busy highway his males even directed visitors round me simply in order that I might rapidly full my sketch.
The day earlier than the normal fiscal yr ends, there’s a custom of sweeping out the poverty from one’s house at midnight. It’s believed that when goddess Laxmi, the goddess of wealth visits, she seeks the cleanest home. That’s the reason brooms are the quickest promoting gadgets that day.
As I sketched this market over a interval of some months it was fascinating to notice how this vendor’s wares modified with the ever altering festivals and societal calls for. For the pageant of Diwali he offered brooms. For the Ganesh pageant he offered all sizes and shapes of pedestals for the idols. In the course of the Dussehra pageant he solely offered marigolds.
Rangoli and Diya’s
At first it was the colours that drew me to sketch this stall. The colourful rangoli colours, the sieves for creating rangoli patterns and all varieties of earthen Diyas up on the market seemed so enticing.
Historically, Rangoli is an artwork of ornament drawn on the ground or the entrances of houses. It’s thought to carry good luck, prosperity to the house and household. Additionally a good way to welcome friends. Even now fantastically embellished entrances with its Diya’s herald in Diwali.
This makeshift stall was arrange by Akshay, a ninth grader and his grandmother, with bricks and overturned crates on the pavement outdoors Mandai market to show their Diwali ware. As they swept the pavement for the setup I needed to bounce round a bit to flee the mud thrown up. Even in a messy polluted space they tried to create a clear spot for his or her stall. Akshay then settled down to speak with me about his research and his half time help of his grandmother only for the festive gross sales.
Diwali lanterns
Burud Ali or the craft bazar of Mandai is stuffed with lanterns on the market.These bamboo lanterns are woven on web site and might be customised as per demand. The youngsters after their research assist their dad and mom with the gross sales.
These life measurement bamboo lanterns are in nice demand by politicians. Greetings of the season with a political message is printed on flex. The lanterns are draped with the flex prints after which hung excessive up over the streets of their constituencies.
A hyperlink to a video included within the shared folder.
Killas or forts
Frequentising on the Mandai marketplace for sketching this pageant I learnt one thing new about our tradition. These prepared made forts (additionally referred to as killas within the native language) are distinctive to Diwali celebrations in Pune. They’re replicas of hill forts constructed and captured by Shivaji Maharaj when he based the Maratha empire.This empire existed from 1674 to 1818 in current day India. At its peak, the empire’s territories coated 250 million acres (1 million km²) or one-third of South Asia. Hill forts performed a key function in Shivaji’s technique in founding his empire. Shivaji Maharaj owned some 240–280 forts on the time of his loss of life.
Historically these forts are recreated in mud by youngsters for Diwali. As an indication of the altering occasions pre-manufactured ones are additionally accessible for this pageant. Figuring out the completely different forts and enjoying with them is a part of the Pune Diwali tradition. Satisfaction in our heritage is instilled within the kids by play.
Pooja Objects
Little Idols of various significance and several types of Diya’s can be found at each step.
Sugarcane stalks
Third day of Diwali, there was an enormous demand for these sugarcane stalks for the Lakshmi Pooja. Many fly by evening operators descend on Mandai market lugging these stalks round. It was a sight to observe as buyers and scooterists deftly ducked because the sugarcane porters rushed up and down the road to replenish inventory. To earn an additional buck many individuals with common jobs moonlight as salesmen for the pageant days.
A hyperlink to the video of the sugarcane stalk runners is there on our shared drive.
Bhai Dooj threads
Fatima, this roadside vendor on the pavements of Mandai market, got here from Aurangabad to promote the threads she had been making for the previous 4 months for this present day of the pageant. Bhai Dooj is the final day of Diwali when a sister guarantees to guard her brother. These threads are given to the brother to wrap spherical his waist. Additionally it is given to all of the male family members.The fruits and betel leaves are used for the Pooja carried out for all days of Diwali.
Ganesh pageant is well known with a lot fanfare in Pune. Lokmanya Tilak, a revered freedom fighter from Pune , turned this celebration from a person non-public one, to a public one, to encourage nationalism.This fusion of spiritual and social fervour is most evident within the celebration of this pageant at Mandai when all communities come collectively to rejoice it.
Indicators of the festive season
Few days earlier than the Ganesh pageant, Burud Ali, Mandai’s very personal 24 hr craft bazaar began buzzing. Individuals began coming to order and purchase bamboo pedestals for the set up of the Ganesh idol. The demand from particular person consumers had elevated exponentially as this yr there was a curb on public celebrations.
The pedestals for the Ganesh pageant are created on the pavements of Mandai’s Burud Ali. The ctraftspeople work from the pavements with no safety from the climate components, and no creature comforts.They like to stay of their makeshift houses right here although they do personal homes elsewhere.
The woman in my sketch mentioned this was a ability they by no means misplaced. She mentioned they’ve circumstances the place craftspeople continued to practise their craft regardless of dropping their eyesight at a sophisticated age.
These inventive bamboo pedestals ranged from Rs 300/= (approx 3 $) to Rs 3000/- ( approx 39 $) in a wide range of sizes and shapes.
The festive season’s hottest promoting gadgets are then dressed up in a wide range of materials, flowers and embellished richly by the purchasers who purchase them earlier than they set up the idol of their house.
One other signal of the upcoming pageant is the scaffolding that got here up in entrance of the temple of Akhil Ganpati Mandal of Mandai. This was to create a skeleton for a cover to be fitted over the busy avenue in entrance of the temple. Regardless of all this exercise the visitors continued unabated.
In Maharashtra a social group fashioned to protect the tradition of its individuals is named Mandal. In its 129 th yr the Akhil Mandai Ganpati is among the oldest mandals in Pune. A novel papier mache Sharda Ganesh idol put in in its temple makes it one among Pune’s earliest eco-friendly idols.The mandal sees hundreds of devotees thronging it yearly throughout Ganesh Competition.
VISARJAN
Immersion of the Ganesh idol on the tenth and final day of the pageant is named Visarjan within the native language. That is to represent the cycle of life.
Just a few days earlier than the Ganesh pageant started, I noticed these enormous light stage props specified by the temple courtyard. This indicated that the pageant was across the nook.These props had been used for a lot of earlier festivals and as an alternative of spending cash once more on new decorations, the temple determined to recycle the previous ones.
On the eighth day of the pageant I noticed some motion once more. The stage decorators spray painted the elephants blue and enhanced the designs on it with crimson. I bought an opportunity to sketch them as they labored.
As a result of Covid restrictions no processions for the immersion of the idol have been allowed. Usually on the final day of the pageant, the larger than life most important idol is taken with a lot fanfare in a procession for a symbolic immersion within the river. As a substitute this time a small eco-friendly idol representing the principle idol was going to be immersed in an enormous bowl of water displayed on high of an enormous stage. arrange within the temple courtyard The stage was flanked by two large elephant heads, positioned on both facet of a staircase in the back of the stage resulting in the immersion bowl. The steps have been draped in crimson satin. Darkish material was draped throughout the bottom of the stage.
Garlands of contemporary marigolds have been then connected to the fabric draped across the stage. Many individuals employed by the temple and lots of the voluntary members of the mandal labored laborious to get the stage prepared on time.
Even little youngsters have been a part of the motion as they sat chopping up flowers that have been used within the flower rangoli for the pathway. This flower-strewn pathway results in the visarjan bowl. By 6 pm the whole lot was prepared.
The celebrations have been restricted to solely the mandal members who have been issued id playing cards in conformity with Covid restrictions on the variety of individuals allowed at a gathering. Even then it was an enormous crowd. After the Aarti the little Eco pleasant Ganesh idol was dropped at be immersed within the bowl on the stage. Telephones flashed relentlessly because the idol was introduced from the temple to the stage.
The immersion was accompanied with a whole lot of clapping, drumming and chanting and lifting buddies on their shoulders as they danced. But not like the earlier years this was a subdued celebration that ended inside 10 minutes of the immersion of the idol. This was in stark distinction to the approx 12 hours it took for the immersion in yesteryears . Truly I cherished this surroundings pleasant, comparatively calmer conclusion to the pageant.
Mandai
Platform design of stalls
The momentary marketplace for greens and fruits held on open grounds through the Peshwa period was relocated to a everlasting construction throughout British rule. After the development of a brand new market named after the British governor Lord Reay in 1836, a brand new market system was launched to Pune. Earlier than this there was no storage or construction wanted for promoting items. Distributors displayed their merchandise on the bottom with no clearly demarcated locations for his or her wares.
Lord Reay market, now referred to as Mandai, sprawls over 1.05 acres. One of many new strategies of merchandising through the British period was to seat the distributors on a platform, at a peak of three to 4 ft. This gave a transparent view of all of the merchandise when anybody entered the market from any of its 8 entrances. The raised platforms additionally assist in simpler loading and unloading particularly if the merchandise are introduced in or taken out in baskets on the porters head. The storage space with air flow holes beneath the platforms was a brand new idea when the market was constructed 136 years in the past.
Indian organisation of a British platform design
The platforms have been launched to Indian distributors by the British, nevertheless it’s fascinating how the Indians tailored this to their very own sensibilities and utility. Robust colours at the moment are used to tell apart the stalls. Coconut stall No 287 has turquoise colored containers stacked on the platforms whereas Stall No 288 has yellow coloured containers. These containers are organized on the platforms to maximise the show of the coconuts even whereas offering storage. The topmost field has an image of the stall proprietor’s favoured deity who he prays to earlier than beginning his work. The surfaces of those containers are additionally used to pin calendars or notices on. Qr code stickers for digital funds are additionally pasted on them.
It’s fascinating to see this fourth technology coconut stall vendor sitting sideways on this association. He didn’t face the shopper as the opposite distributors do. He shells the coconuts repeatedly, amassing the husk at his ft.This association makes it straightforward to stack the shelled coconuts as all of the cabinets are inside attain. With one hand he can handover the coconut to the shopper and with the opposite hand he opens the cash drawer which is correct in entrance of him to finish the money transactions.
Further show choices
These potato and onion shops have graded their merchandise by way of high quality and the place they arrive from. To boost the shopper expertise additional stools are used to show the merchandise nearer to the place the shopper stands. On the finish of the day the stools are additionally saved beneath the platforms.
The crimson chair
Mandai stall house owners have a really sturdy bond with their clients. This crimson chair was faraway from the storage underneath the platform.It’s utilized by many aged loyal clients to relaxation on whereas buying . The staff of husband and spouse retailer house owners then pack their orders.
Storage measurement
The storage within the platform was designed in such a means {that a} man might comfortably crawl round in it. That means he might attain proper into the again to drag out his items simply.
To climb to the platform above it, there’s a picket step with iron brackets along with every stall. These are from the colonial period and are nonetheless in good situation.
Storage safety
The storage areas beneath the platforms have been designed to maintain the products and private gadgets of the distributors protected and safe. Every storage unit might be locked.
Platform extensions
The peak of the platforms within the contemporary greens part are nearly a foot decrease than the fruit stall platforms. This will likely have been as clients like to decide on their veggies from up shut.The cupboard space within the contemporary greens part is in a really dilapidated situation. Their poor design, supplies and development, point out that these are extensions hacked collectively by the distributors a few years later.
High quality Assurance
The weights used within the weighing scales are checked by the municipal authorities each month, to ensure they’re correct. Exterior the market, the vegatables and fruits can be found at a less expensive fee however there’s a risk the purchasers might be cheated there on two fronts, the standard and the load. Available in the market, the standard checks make sure the buyer won’t ever be cheated.
New designs
Right here one can determine the platform on the left as a later addition. The woodwork sample is extra modern, not like the previous platforms on the appropriate. The icon on the cash assortment field on the highest of the counter is named Mahakal nazar battu. The aim of this icon is to keep off the evil eye.
Digital platform
In 2018 India demonetised foreign money notes of Rs 1000/- and Rs 500/-. This pushed lots of people to start out utilizing digital cost platforms. It was fascinating to see even the uneducated distributors in Mandai, displaying the QR code prominently for digital funds. That is the brand new age digital platform utilized in Mandai.
Repurposed Stall platforms
The previous colonial platform design was repurposed for this Vada pav stall to help an electrical glass case to maintain the Vadas ( batter fried spicy potato combine) sizzling and retailer the bread. The platform additionally works as informal seating for some favoured clients or buddies. Most clients stood and ate this quick meals merchandise, drank water and washed their palms from the filter can stored on the facet . Not having snug seating really ensured a relentless stream of consumers who ate whereas standing and left rapidly to make place for extra clients.
As a substitute of horses that have been used through the colonial occasions, scooters and bikes at the moment are used to ferry the merchandise on to the stall inside the market. Generally these autos even function an additional cupboard space for the stall.
Mandai stalls are effectively spaced out and have broad pathways between the stalls. It’s fairly frequent to see the stall house owners park their autos inside the market. At first I assumed this bike belonged to one of many distributors, however was shocked to be taught this space was used as a free parking spot by somebody who knew the market effectively.
As a result of many elements sure areas of the market look deserted or have little or no footfall. The house owners of those stalls now choose to promote their wares on the curb outdoors the market and use their stalls available in the market as a cupboard space solely. The migrant labour available in the market use the platforms of those stalls for relaxation, sleep and a spot to eat their meagre meals peacefully.
Classic indicators of Mandai
These classic indicators inform a compelling story of a bygone period. Whereas the brand new indicators share the identical fundamental data like title, quantity and tackle because the previous ones, they’re lacking a really distinctive piece – a picture The gorgeous hand lettered inventive fonts have additionally been changed by standardised fonts taking away a few of the appeal and creating a way more cookie cutter expertise.
Stall No 229
An elaborate nonetheless life portray used as an indication for a fruit stall fascinated me. One of many distributors informed me that the proprietor of this stall had handed on. He mentioned the deceased proprietor had been, each a businessman and a passionate painter. The late proprietor had painted his personal signage that mirrored his aesthetics and pursuits.
On this signage all of the little particulars just like the costume of the little woman, the phone, the curtains, the format of the fruits, clearly indicated the period this work was carried out in. On this portray the little woman is seen holding a rotary phone receiver to her ear that almost all in all probability didn’t come to Pune until the early 1900’s.
Stall No 230
This fruit stall signal too was carried out by the identical businessman/artist.The portray depicts Dr Ambedkar, who was the architect of our Indian structure, handing over the structure to the primary president of impartial India, Dr Rajendra Prasad.
On this work on the appropriate of our president are three males. Their uniforms are from the three sections of the newly impartial Indian armed forces. Whereas on the left hand are two males representing the colonial armed forces.
Funnily sufficient, one vendor available in the market who was giving me some details about the work, described them as “Simon“. I had solely learn this nickname for the British forces in class textbooks. A well-known cry of the Indian independence motion was “Simon go house!”. It was odd that he ought to select to name them by this nickname 75 years after independence.
This fruit stall signage was a novel testomony to the patriotism of the artist. It confirmed a lot private character of the proprietor of the stall and made this signage so placing.
A Ganesh idol in entrance of an indication that had his mythological father Lord Shiva painted behind him, seemed like an ideal composition for my sketch. Whereas the idol seemed freshly made for the Ganesh pageant, the portray of Lord Shiva within the signage seemed prefer it had been carried out within the mid 1900’s.
At first it appeared like a random selection of topics on this signal with a portray of a banana tree on the left and a portray of Lord Shiva on the appropriate. There appeared to be no connection between the 2. It was solely after studying the stall title, that it made sense. The title of the stall Vishwanath Bholanath Yadav was likely the proprietor’s title and Bholanath was additionally a synonym for Lord Shiva. The banana tree on the left represented the fruits offered there.
This signal nonetheless has a light six digit contact quantity on it with a rotary telephone signal on the underside left hand facet harking back to Pune within the 1940’s whereas now the phone landline numbers have 8 digits. Even these landline numbers at the moment are being changed with cell numbers. An indication of how the town has modified with time.
The following signal depicts a farmer’s household in rural India working laborious to develop one of the best fruits. This stall is the place the household involves promote the fruits on to its clients straight from the farm. Apart from the stall house owners’ names, the textual content and visuals emphasize the contemporary produce and its well being advantages.
Stall No 234
Farex is a well-liked meals for infants and infants and was launched in India within the early 1900’s by Glaxo, a British firm.
Stall No 234 had this child as a part of its signage. Once more the selection of a child that represented child meals in a fruit stall signal was perplexing. Perhaps the enduring Farex child was used to equate the stall merchandise too with good well being.
I additionally realised this was a uncommon signal, as this stall was the one one whose title was in each Marathi and English. As a result of colonisation, signages have been in English as per the necessities of the rulers. After India bought its independence, individuals wished to indicate they have been pleased with their heritage and freedom. This signal displays the gradual shift from colonisation to an impartial India by having the stall title in each the languages.
Ripple impact of a historic market
Sketching these classic indicators made me take into consideration how our society is evolving. These indicators communicate of our historical past and distinction it with our at present. Once we have been youngsters, we used to talk each in English and Marathi however now individuals have moved again to primarily talking their very own native language. Not realizing the language would actually make it laborious to learn the indicators of at present.
Stall indicators now
The signage now’s dry with nothing interesting or distinctive about it. The classic indicators additionally performed with the fonts. Some hand lettered fonts had outlines or shadows, Some have been stretched, shortened and creatively tailored to the format by the artist.
In a means this can be a parallel to how we superior as a society. It’s individualism vs mass manufacturing. But in the current surroundings with no further time to spend on handcrafted work, we nonetheless have these remnants of a bygone period hanging over everybody strolling by the market. Perhaps giving pleasure to individuals like me who get pleasure from seeing snippets of the previous. I need to, by this work, carry it to a bigger viewers in order that we are able to as soon as once more have appreciation for these individualised private expressions.
The altering skyline of Mandai Market
Gate No 1
Digging the highway to construct the Pune metro has simply began. I sketched this whereas doing a balancing act on a pile of rubble as Pune marked a brand new milestone. Chaotic visitors continues to stream round as individuals rapidly modify to new realities.
Gate No 1
Earlier than this space of the market bought cordoned off, enormous pipes have been introduced in for the Pune metro work.
Gate No 8
Entry to this dairy store in Mandai market was restricted as a result of metro work. The gate that led to this store had been closed however enterprise continued as ordinary. The house owners put planks close to either side of the fenced wall. This helped to raise them on the facet of the wall close to their store to move the product parcel over the wall and to take the cash from the purchasers on the opposite facet of the wall.
Gate No 8
Because the market will get cordoned off with development sheets much less and fewer might be seen, apart from the tops of the cranes.
Gate No 3
The cranes poking their heads above the rooftops and locked gates seemed like fashionable age dinosaurs.
Gate No 2
As these cranes began positioning themselves across the market, we knew some issues won’t ever be the identical once more.
Ripple impact of a historic market
Mandai’s majestic construction might be seen from each strategy highway round it regardless of the rising skyline of Pune. With an underground metro station deliberate beneath Mandai market, a skywalk has been proposed across the market. We could by no means see Mandai once more in all its glory from the roads, however we may even see it up shut from the skywalk.
As I sketch right here, each month I see one thing completely different. Some modifications are momentary and a few have far reaching results. This market is 136 years previous and it has created its personal ecosystem which continues to draw new growth. Adapting and evolving repeatedly from the pre-independence period, but once more the Pune metro calls for change. This place is the financial centre of the town and hundreds of individuals stream by it for his or her day by day wants. It’s location being chosen as an essential metro station is a testomony to its affect on society. Will it proceed to retain its magnificence and affect or will the march of time and new age growth diminish it, is but to be seen.
When the Covid lockdown ended I used to be shocked to see how the areas across the market had been cleared for the metro. It seemed like the road distributors would disappear however they simply discovered new methods to show their wares. I assumed individuals would cease coming to the market however the crowds by no means diminished and the individuals discovered a option to work across the obstructions. I anticipated the distributors available in the market to withstand the change however surprisingly they sit up for the modifications the Pune metro would carry them. As for me I doc the modifications and hope for a greater future with Mandai nonetheless holding courtroom.