While the term 'flea market' is generally associated with the selling of second-hand goods or inexpensive clothing and accessories, in Bangalore, it has come to represent a much-awaited one-stop shopping point.
And shopping is not the only thing on the agenda — these open-air bazaars provide visitors with good food, music with a professional DJ, a fashion showand even liquor at the venue. Some of them go further and pack it with an array of activities, workshops, and events and even make it a ten-day long affair.
Over the years, the City has seen quite a few of these upscale flea markets, like the 'Olive Beach' flea market, the 'Soul Santhe', 'Kitsch Mandi' and even the 'Bizarre Bazaar' at Opus. Many students and young professionals have taken a strong liking towards these dos, as they give them options to browse, shop and even party a little beyond sunset.
Viren, who works in an event management company, says that such bazaars have many takers in the City as they bring in a new twist to the Bangalore party scene. "Most of them are combined with music from a band and later on, it is followed up with an act by the DJ. The atmosphere itself is very festive, you will find people either busy shopping or just moving to the music. Some just sit around with friends and chat. It's like a mini-Goa, which you don't find in the City," he adds.
A majority of them are held at least once a month, on a Sunday, so getting a crowd is not an issue at all. While some of them charge a minimum entry fee of Rs 100, there are others which allow people to enter for free. But the ones who really benefit from these bazaars are young artists and designers, who long for a platform. Manjunath, an architect who makes lanterns out of recycled plastic, says that these bazaars give a wider audience to youngsters like him. "It's not about how much you sell but your visibility as an artist also increases," he adds.
Those who frequent the reinvented markets have nothing but good things to say about them. Says Bhargavi, who recently passed her PUC, "I enjoy these unique concepts. How much can one go to malls and movies? These bring a much more festive flavour to the City." Sushmita, another PUC student, adds that some of these bazaars like the 'Indo-German Urban Mela', make the event even educational. "These markets allows us to widen our knowledge and even allow us to experience another culture. I feel it's a good thing that the City is getting more of them," she adds.
More than anything, its the ambience that Aparna, a professional, likes. "These melas and bazaars really give you a good bargain in terms of food, games and music which make a perfect mix for a relaxed evening," she says.