Hope this helps
Regards,
Art
P.S. for Mumbai The main Market is Manish Marketnear Crawford Market
When you find the main market in Chennai,Please let me know
Gaffar Market, in Karol Bagh, has always been in a different league. For visitors it has been a favourite one-stop-mart for those seeking 聭imported聮 goods at less than the 聭official prices聮. Garments, cosmetics, crockery, electronic gadgets, toys, shoes, you name it, and it聮s here.
The market, where many shops have no names, witnesses a carnival-like atmosphere every hour of the day, crowded as it is with shoppers from all parts of the country. 聭Imported聮 is the key word for both shoppers and customers. At Gaffar, nothing sells except 聭imported聮 goods.
This is the only place in the country where one can get a wide variety of gadgets and gizmos much before they are launched in India. In fact, at times you can get here what you will not get even in Europe. The iPhone, hailed by Time magazine as Invention of the Year, was available in Gaffar market in August this year, while it was launched in Europe only in November. So this is the specialty of this market.
Besides that it is a market for those who do not look for bills or guarantees, but wish to stay ahead. And while talking to people, it seems there is no dearth of such customers. You will get 32-inch Sony Bravia LCD TV which the company launched recently much less than the official price.
Cheap Chinaware
Here you will get the Chinese items as well. The market is also a hot favourite for youngsters. You can get a winter jacket for Rs 600 to Rs 800, shoes for Rs 400 to Rs 600. While most shoes are Chinese, the garments are mainly from Thailand.
But while the prices are a steal in Gaffar market, you need to be a skilful negotiator to get the best deal. Post economic liberalisation, shopkeepers say that the market has lost some of its customers, but is still going strong, thanks to the many dedicated customers who come looking for 聭imported goods聮.
From last 15 years Gaffar market was famous for garments and cosmetics. There used to be such a rush of customers that we often had to make them wait outside the shop. Now it is better known for being an electronics market.
The market is also a favorite with domestic tourists who form the largest chunk of the customers today
Rocketing rents at Gaffar
Like in other markets, the rents in this 聭grey聮 market too, have been soaring. Rents are anything between Rs 50,000, to Rs 1 lakh a month for a 聭proper聮 shop. Even the small makeshift counters placed at the gates of shops 聴 which sell mostly second-hand mobile phones 聴 have to dish out nearly Rs 15,000-20,000 a month. In keeping with the times, some shops are trying to reinvent themselves.
