Coimbatore is a great shopping destination these days. People throng the shops and malls 24/7 , all 365 days of the year. However it’s a wonderful experience to shop for fruits and veggies in the old market in Big Bazaar Street.

Fortunately the parking lot near this ancient market has abundant space for two wheelers and four wheelers as well. The parking lot happens to also house and host the Gundam and festivals associated with the powerful Plague Mariamman Temple. The old market has a facade which is ancient, and it is full of shops. Small jewellery stores actually dot the exterior. If one goes through the arches or the central road which connects the Raja Street and Big Bazaar Street ends of the market, one can get to see an entire world of micro commerce in continuous motion.

Homemakers can comfortably shop for fruits, vegetables, greens, bags, sweets, oil, and other items. The merchants and vendors sell stuff by the numbers, weight, or by value. Some of the vendors pile up vegetables in heaps of Rs.10 or Rs.20. The greens are sold in bunches. One can buy coconuts and lemons along with betel leaves in corner. Shoppers can also observe the neighbourhood craftsmen, who work on ornaments. A number of polishers work out of the same market, and one can get to see them adding shine to the jewels.

When the Sabarimala season begins, we can witness a number of people stringing beads for the devotees.

The oil shops are but small cubicles which are open on either side. They offer a nice bargain. Long ago, before the advent of electricity, homemakers and merchants used to shop for lamp oil from these shops.

The market is also connected to the wholesale RG Street. Shoppers get to see a lot of action in the busy market – the wholesale stores, trade auctions, micro-lending, loading and unloading of goods, and stray cows and calves feeding on the discarded vegetables and fruits.

Regulars to the market swear by the price, quality, and the shelf life of the items shopped here. Some of the small vendors have been here for several generations.

The Coimbatore Market Vyaparigal Sangam has its office in the market. The big entrance has been replaced by a wide road. But, the beautiful smaller entrances have lovely arches.

Shoppers and traders alike are full of energy and enthusiasm at Big Mazaar Street’s old market.