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Colours in the Market
Even in the very early hours of morning, there is colour and movement everywhere you look in the Goubert Market in Old Pondicherry, India.
Any visitor to these pages knows I love markets.
I love the insight they give into the lives of the locals: What foods do they eat? How do they barter or trade? How do they engage with (or not!) the foreigner in their midst? How do they interact with each other? I love the apparent chaos: the cacophony of colours and smells; the crowded aisles and alleys; the constant motion; the noise …
Of course, it is only chaos to the outsider. When I stand back and watch, is is quite apparent that the locals all know what they are doing and where they should be. I am the one at risk of getting in the way.
I always marvel at how welcoming (and patient) stall holders are with this outsider trying to make pictures in the gloom, or under horrible fluorescent lights; I struggle with my heavy old cameras, trying to frame shots in impossible spaces and stay out of the way of shoppers and porters at the same time.
I’m never completely happy with the results, but I always hope to at least catch some of the essence of the experience.
Early one morning in January, I had the opportunity to spend some time in the historic Goubert Market in Heritage Town, Puducherry. I was staying nearby, in a beautiful colonial building in the heart of the French Quarter of what was, until 2006, known as Pondicherry. We had arrived the evening before from neighbouring Tamil Nadu, after stopping to explore the historic stone monuments at Mahabalipuram (see: Stories in Stone).
Originally called the Grand Bazaar, the market was established in 1826 under the French at the edge of the French Quarter. It was renamed for Édouard Goubert, who – in the early 1960s – was the mayor and first chief minister of Pondicherry. Popularly known as Periya Kadai (பெரிய கடை), which is Tamil for ‘big store’, it is one of the oldest markets in the city. Reputedly busy all day, almost everything you can think of is on offer, but it is especially known for its fresh fish from the Bay of Bengal.
We arrived early, and it was already bustling with activity.
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Pondicherry Market
The sun is not yet up when we arrive before 7am at the already-bustling Goubert Market in Old Pondicherry.
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Butcher
It is dark – very dark – inside. One report I read suggested that crumbling infrastructure was causing problems for the traders and customers alike (The Hindu). These butchers are working in rather questionable conditions.
Onions in the Market
Every space is filled: big bags of fresh produce line the aisles.
Shopping in the Market
Shoppers jostle with vendors in the narrow laneways.
Splashes of Colour
The saris are as colourful as the fruits and vegetables.
Betel Shop
I’m always amazed at how everywhere you look in India, you see men reading the newspaper. The betel leaves for sale here are used to wrap paan or gutkha: a mixture of areca nut, herbs, spices, and often tobacco, for chewing.
Fresh Fish
We are on the Bay of Bengal, so the market features a variety of freshly-caught fish.
Woman in Green
Historically, it is the men who do the fishing here and the women who take care of the sales.
Fish Vendors
Everyone has their posters or shrines to their favourite Gods decorated with fresh flowers.
Cutting Fish
That knife is serious business!
Peeling Prawns
There is plenty to do, even when there are no immediate customers.
Women at the Fish Market
More Prawns – More Fish
Tea Break
Outside the covered market, a couple of women take a break.
Water Truck?
I have no idea what is going on here, but I loved the look of these vehicles.
Selling Hats, Etc.
In the streets outside the market, more vendors attempt to make sales.
Chai Wallah
Actually, the wallah here is making coffee, not tea, but the process is the same. I love watching how they pour the hot drinks from a height; it is meant to add froth and cool the milky liquid a bit.
Selling Oranges
Fresh fruit and vegetables are everywhere in the old streets.
Watermelon Truck
Textured Buildings
We were meant to be admiring the Franco-Tamil architecture and the UNESCO-endorsed restorations in Vysial Street, but many more of the buildings were in need of a lot of work. I did love the textures and colours, though.
Cauliflower for Sale
More fresh vegetables! Notice the QR code on the tree: you can pay by phone!
Candy-Coloured Scooters
Corner Market
I love how the shops all spill onto the road!
More Colour and Activity
Fish in Coriander Sauce
After seeing all that fresh food on offer, it was only right that later on, our lunch was tasty fresh fish pieces in a fragrant and colourful coriander sauce.
Until next time,
Bon appétit!
Pictures: 22January2023
