Chandni Chowk Kapada Market

Our series on cloth or fabric markets in Delhi continues.... 

I know you will probably laugh when I say this, but that there is a designated Kapada Market in Chandni Chowk which only sells kapada or cloth or apparel. However to a casual shopper or observer Chandni Chowk is one huge kapada market and with an equal number of shops selling mouth watering delicacies.

Chandni Chowk has been a preferred sourcing market for ready made garments. Although the market does sell to the retail customer, the bulk of the business comes from the wholesale buyers. The wholesale buyers range from small shopkeepers from Delhi, those who own across the city to shopkeepers from smaller towns like Panipat, Patiala, Rourkee, Dehradun etc.  It is not uncommon to see shopkeepers from Rohini, Sangam Vihar or Kalkaji make a trip to Chandni Chowk when their respective markets are closed to pick up stock from Chandni Chowk.

The USP or unique selling proposition of the market is the wide availability of traditional Indian garments. Its strong point is the lehenga, salwar kurta, kurtis in a host of fabric. The range covering chiffons, georgettes, cotton, terrycots, woollen to hakoba and summer wear. The sets are available in the entire range of sizes. The buyer has to either buy all sizes in a particular colour or in a particular size a  minimum of 6 to 8 pieces. It is the sheer variety which is mind boggling. Most shops specialise in one or the other garments. So there are those specially dealing in work or zardozi wear, there are those selling only cotton wear. So popular has readymade garments become in Chandni Chowk that it has spilled over from the traditional Cloth Market to other markets as well. Even lanes of Nai Sarak (known for its second hand books and paper) has a number of shops selling garments as also those in Dariba Kalan. The crowded bylanes do brisk business and is choc a block on Saturdays.

Apart from readymade garments, fabric is available in plenty. The number of little shops that appear at each corner or a gully is astounding for the initial visitor.

Then there is the Kinnari Bazaar for as the name suggests Kinnari. It is ideal for shopping for zari, borders, laces and zardozi. The Kinnari earlier were made in pure silver threads with real gold covering. Now it is lurex, copper zaris and the like which rule. There are several shops which still real stuff. It is known for the zari work. Most of the work is made in the bylanes of Chandni Chowk itself. Katra Neel again in Chandni Chowk is known for its muslin, cotton, silk and much more. There is so much diversity that one needs to research and one can truly come up with gems.

Timings – 11 am to 7 pm (Monday to Saturdays). The market is closed on Sundays.

Where  - Chandni Chowk. Enter through the main road. Shish Ganj Gurdwara Road. The Cloth market is situated towards the end. You could query the rickshaw walas or shopkeepers.

Highlights -  The shops are a plenty. Go with your instincts and pick up what you like.

Insider Tip – The market has the latest that is available. There are shops at the back side and in the bylanes. Several shopkeepers have their godowns there. Once you strike a friendship with the shopkeepers and are a regular, the place is easier to navigate. Bargaining is possible to an extent.

Nostalgia – The Rs. 12.50 Student’s Bus pass (Sade barah bus pass)

 

Yes, the Rs. 12.50 Student’s bus pass from DTC which remained unchanged for decades. A little increase to even Rs. 15, was met with such resistance from DUSU (Delhi University Students Union), that no one, I repeat no one dare increase it :):). Of course, there was a problem of renewing it every month. An alternative was to get it made for 3 months. It meant freedom, licence to travel anywhere in any DTC bus…Those days, needs were simpler and U special were the norms.

These memories were refreshed during a conversation with my cousin Pradeep.  They moved from Delhi to Ahmedabad a good 20 years ago. Born and brought up in Delhi, he has not visited Delhi since. So in all curiosity he queried about the status of Delhi buses. Amidst hoots of laughter and shouts we discussed the DTC buses saga. The DTC bus was replaced or over run more like it, by the much condemned Red Line. Having been contractual buses, they would stuff to capacity. Would call passengers by hitting on the outside of the bus. The shouting – Newda (Noida), Naraina, Bartania (Britannia factory on the way to Rohini)…was imitated. Pradeep had his old bus pass which he gladly photographed and sent. I think, I may have mine somewhere…will add to this photo if I find it.  The pink colour bus pass was made at Scindia House which was DTC’s headquarters. He asked me if the old yellow green standard DTC buses still ran.

I said an unfortunate "no", they have been replaced by a fleet of smart buses. There is the green one, the airconditioned red one and of course the electric vehicle the blue one.

I have been caught with life – work, home, hearth, friends…that there has been nay a time for nostalgia or reminiscing. Transport within Delhi was, "less said the better". Then Metro happened, as did Uber, Ola, BluSart and Rapido. Driving a car made life simpler, the roads were not this crowded. Now of course, navigating the roads and driving is a task and the reflexes one needs to avoid wrong lane, wrong overtake will put a race car driver to shame. Travel within Delhi became simpler and even thinking of buses or our travels to DU has been a distant memory. But those memories of idle time sitting at bus stops, watching the world go by, wasting time seems a thing of the past. I am not sure how DU students travel, whether there are still DU specials. The routes of various buses seems to have changed.

Maybe in the coming blogs, I will visit the DTC bus depots. I am told there are four types of buses – green, orange, red and blue. Blue being the e-buses. Buses are free for women….watch out for more on DTC and the current mode of transportation.

Govindpuri wholesale market for garment accessories

It must probably be inertia or the lack of finding something exciting to write about, that the blog has languished for so long…. It is not as if I am not travelling or seeing but in this world of home deliveries and online sales, the discovery of something rare and new has taken a back seat…so what we write of newer trends, newer places and hopefully the spark will come back. And it did.. my love for textiles brought back memories to markets in search of newer sources of textile accessories. 

So we bring a series on a recce of textile, apparel and accessory centres in Delhi. Apparel, garments and textile are the vocabulary of every city. 

However, in Delhi these markets be it for fabric, apparel, garments or accessories have been redefined to become sourcing hubs. What has contributed to the development of these markets is the presence of a huge export houses in the area. In the 70s garment export was huge earner and several factories came up in Okhla Industrial Area, Mayapuri, these then relocated to Gurgaon and Noida. Today, they cater to the domestic market as well. To cater to the growing manufacturers the raw material and accessory manufacturers set up store. Also markets came up for disposing off stock lots left over from manufacturing be it garment or fabrics. 

One of the markets which has grown in importance in recent times is Govindpuri. Actually a slum, it became affordable factory or manufacturing space for small time accessory dealers and manufacturers since it was close to Okhla. Okhla became the hub for exporters. At the same time, small time fabricators also set up shop here. Govindpuri today houses many well known accessory manufacturers, wholesalers and dealers. Be it threads, buttons, zips, laces there are rows upon rows of shops selling stuff. The place is a typical crowded mayhem of shops, shoppers and narrow alleys. There are gallis or by lanes dedicated to each product. Apart from wholesale rates for bulk buys, the latest in fashion requirement is available here. So buttons follow international dictates apart from the desi avtaars, threads a variety and hue of range is available as also laces, zips, tags, labels, washing instructions. It is an ideal place for bulk buyers. A couple of foreign designers who are working on upscale or recycling products source their entire requirement of threads from these by lanes. The range of threads is mind boggling, be it cotton, organic, polyester, silk, mix of polyester and silk. Even with colours it offers plenty of choices. Govindpuri is the preferred destination for garment manufacturers and designers given the wide variety of offerings. 

The market is not well defined. The area closer to the Metro opposite the fruit market houses the machinery people who sell sewing machines both branded and assembled. Cutting tables, cutting equipment, and the like.. The markets housed into lanes or galis. The Galis then have packing bags in wholesale, zippers, magnetic clasps for clutches, accessories lace, wooden beads, buttons. There is a wholesale shop selling threads from Coats India (Anchor), Vardhman threads,

Timings – 10.30 am am to 7 pm or so. The market is closed on Tuesdays. However since several of these garment establishments cater to exporters or commercial establishments who are closed on Sundays. They are likely to be shut on Sundays. 

Where - Govindpuri.. Easily accessible from the Govindpuri Metro Station. The Violet line has a stop there. The market is a short ride in an auto or a good 15 minute walk. 

Highlights – One can get a variety of wooden beads for conversion into accessories. One can also get cowrie shells in bulk. There are hundreds of small factories who do everything from tailoring, finishing, dyeing… several do hand embroidery especially zardozi. Zari embroidery is well known here especially in the Tughlakabad area. Tughlakabad and Sangam Vihar have a lot of craftsmen and craftswomen. Most work on a piecework system but will want a decent size order. They will not care for single or a few pieces. 

Insider Tip – Despite the wholesale tag, shops will sell small pieces even one or two at wholesale prices. For bulk one will have to negotiate. If you are a regular visitor, the shopkeepers acknowledge that and will give you good quality and prices. I have gone there on a random basis and have picked up things for my textile experiments and 1/10th the prices as quoted in Lajpat Nagar or other local markets. One needs to explore, assimilate and then the process of buying becomes simpler. One can also get good craftsmen or workers for embroidery, beading, making bags. Several stringers or job seekers come to the shops enquiring for work. A tie up may lead to a good worker. 

 I have written on certain textile markets in Delhi, which can be read here… 

1. Janpath - textile hawkers from Gujarat

2. Shanti Mohalla

3. Gandhi Nagar