In our country, who doesn’t like a marketplace! Many of our old towns have evolved out of a strong economic hold and later sprawling into civilizations where marketplaces disseminate into our city’s ecosystem. We have 'markets' as an outcome of silk routes that evolved in the old precincts of Hyderabad. These markets or originally called ’bazaars’ have grown organically with towns and quite often are better known for their iconic status and urban identity. They later legitimize commercial land use within the city plan where the real essence and character are detrimental to urban development. Planning Authorities sees markets as a boxy block of poorly light and ventilated with claustrophobic circulation. The organic and sprawling nature seen in our temporal or street markets becomes an exchanging ground for social, economic and cultural values that bring vibrancy to the place. More detailed knowledge about temporality and market spaces is shared in this blog by Niketa Suresh Katake, an Architect and urban designer who graduated from Kamla Raheja Vidyanidhi Institute of Architecture. She is from Nashik and works as an Architect and urban designer. Her research specializes in understanding ‘temporality’ and temporal market spaces having great potential to involve pedestrians in interacting with the urban environment and reflect the diversity in holding the power to create memories. Her research also addresses critical challenges of temporal markets in newly emerging metropolitan cities and sets underlying principles in designing for vibrant and inclusive design measures.
“Markets are remnant of the past lodged in the heart of modern cities” – (Black, 2012)
In cities, public spaces look vibrant, it gives a different character to the city; and this character gives identity to the city. The vibrant marketplaces are those that I always get inspired from street shopping. The plurality and multiplicity of temporal markets attract me. It's amazing to see the way how the street vendors organize their sell in minimum space along the street, footpaths, public squares, etc. They encroach on built spaces sometimes even privatized in nature (footpaths, otlas, steps, compound walls railing of the traffic islands, bridges, area under the skywalks or flyovers, etc.) to display their sale. In public spaces, streets and sidewalks play an important role to create an active public realm. 'The sidewalk of the city is the city to most of the people.' Streets are important in urban fabric not only for transportation systems but also for a socio-cultural and economic generation. The concept behind the temporal market is eye-catching. The vendors use the space for some period of time and then they give it back to the city for the different activities. The vibrancy of temporality in the public spaces creates an active public realm. Street vendors try to arrange their products tactically. For example, they select the space to arrange their products at some nodes, streets, squares to attract the public. Tactical arrangements give easy access to the customers to the products and also leftover space is organized for parking purposes to earn money and give easy service to the customers.
Nashik located in Maharashtra state has a great mythological background. The Godavari river originates from Trimbakeshwar in Nashik. The city is surrounded by large farmlands and the primary income source of many families in farming. The general public is privileged to get fresh vegetables, fruits, flowers, etc every day. The evolution of the Nashik city is from Panchavati. The old local market is situated at Panchavati (Near Goda ghat). Broadly classification of the Temporal market is Daily, Weekly and Annually (Seasonal). All three categories can be seen at Panchavati. The Daily temporal market largely is for vegetables, fruits, flowers, clothes and accessories. The weekly temporal market is the traditional way of the city's market held every Wednesday at Goda ghat (Banks of Godavari river at Panchavati). Even in the newer mall culture, such a traditional weekly market is juxtaposed actively. While, the annual temporal market is organized during any festival, event, etc. throughout the year. The local authorities are trying to relocate them to a huge building preferably in the outskirt areas. Due to this, the character of that areas will be changed, surely!
Here, I have chosen the case of the temporal market at Goda ghat situated in the core area of Nashik city for my research. Due to religious activities, rituals, recreational activities and market place the area creates an active and vibrant public realm. The urban fabric of the precinct, Major nodes of the city, tourist attractive points, old formal market, and efficient public and private transportation system are some reasons for the flourishing temporal market at this precinct. Maximum street vendors occupy the space along with the formal shops that are open to the air functioning independently and some vendors organize themselves in synchromesh with formal markets. Street vendors arrange their wares and use the space tactically by using light and cheap material for their temporal installations. The gender ratio is almost equal and women feel safe for doing this activity in this market. This market is served to all the strata of the society and the products are sold at a cheap rate so that the lower-class public could also purchase the products serving as a neutral ground for sociability and inclusivity. For better service to the customers in this pandemic, the vendors are adopting new technology like cashless payment, etc.
After analyzing the temporal market by using the above-shown parameters, it shows that the activity of the temporal market is important at this place as it has a strong social, cultural and economic character. The state authority's attempt in relocating the temporal market will reduce the vibrant public realm of the city and the city would lose the character of the place. The precinct will look inactive, monotonous and transportation-oriented. It will invite to thievery and other issues that could create an unsafe city.
“People come where people are.” (Gehl J, 1987).
Street vendors are part of the city. As we know, they serve the public. We need them from the morning itself; milk, vegetables, newspaper, mouth-watering food stalls, etc. they try to serve us at a cheaper price as compared to formal shops. Rather than designing temporal space and providing proper services to the street vendors, our state, local authorities, are constantly trying to push them, harass them, penalize them by giving reasons street vendors are creating chaos, congestion, etc.
Congestion and chaos are inevitable but pushing them on the fringes and curtailing them to sell could create another squatter situation creating a vicious circle of congestion issues. The issues regarding temporal street markets are severe and need sensitive interventions.
Why can't we think of our streets as people-inclusive spaces?
As per the analysis on temporal markets, the street vendors organize their wares at footpaths, along the streets, at nodes, squares, etc. as they target commuters and local residents. Hence, while designing for new streets, the notion of a typical street with minimal pedestrian walkways should be altered. It should be multi-functional which allows different temporal activities throughout the day in the same space rather than catering to monotonous vehicular parking and circulation. The street shall have space for street vendors, shady pathways, sufficiently light during the nights, should cater to the stormwater and surface drainage channel owing to heavy rainfalls, minimal parallel parking for vehicles, and vehicular circulation. The location and typology of these streets should be along with the residential neighborhood that can ensure vibrancy and public engagement without congestion. Temporal markets along the transit nodes should be restructured with minimum occupancy and spacing that could ensure the easy flow of commuters.
For a particular time, the temporal market will run, and then space will be used for another activity like catering to commuter crowds. A prior time and behavioral activity mapping should be done to decide upon the timings of temporal markets. It will create an active, lively public realm and also generate revenue. At the old cramped precincts, the old temporal markets are being relocated, the state can try and incentivize the private building owners to provide hawking space and maintain the street character when the precinct undergoes redevelopment; involving and mutually working together.
Although in some cramped spaces, temporal activities along with formal shopping functioning together could create a chaotic situation. In such cases, increasing adaptability of the space we indicate time and slotwise organized activities. For example: divert vehicular movement while the formal market and temporal street vending are functioning together, making it a pedestrian zone during minimal traffic timings. After the shops are shut vehicular movement could be rerouted. Likewise, the temporal market can work before and after the formal shop's works. It will help to activate the space maximum time of the day; it will maintain a healthy atmosphere, could identify some spaces for parking of the vehicles, it will beneficial for the private property owner, as they will earn revenue out of it. Context of the market space, the morphology of that precinct, visual and physical accessibility, the capacity and quality of being able to adjust to newer street arrangements, ability to afford the temporality in the space, legible streetscape, are the important parameters for making 'good space' for the temporal market.
Planners and designers can offer vital contributions to our collective and inclusive well-being through market spaces by providing some space reserved for temporal markets as per the need of street vendors; not like huge buildings. The hawkers and vendors on the streets, by the roadside, on the footpaths, those stationary in public places or moving around in the city limits would have to get registered as per the Supreme Court’s orders and the Street Vendor’s (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act 2014. Allow and increase space for the time-bounded hawker zone than the No hawker zone. Street vendors, temporal markets are part of the city; they give identity to the place and sometimes to the city as well. We have to maintain our traditional way of the market, in local language Bazaar.
The products we get from the street markets are cheap in rate, fresh, locally available, local craftsmen, and traditional material. The market space is not just for the exchange of goods but the environment of that space triggers socialization and creating an inclusive place. These points are surely missing in the online retail market that’s why our traditional Indian markets 'bazaars hold a prominent role in this online retail era!
I hope this blog proved an eye-opener. We need street markets and they serve our functions. Imagine walking alone on the streets at night, it surely scares you. Street vendors prove to be 'eyes on streets'. Hence, Support local economic activities as that is the only source of income for these vendors ensuring vibrancy, safe and liveable cities. Hope you liked the blog, share and comment on your views on temporality, markets and socialization.
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