Jhatpat Market: where women reign supreme
August 21, 2009
Karachi
Located at the heart of Lyari, Chakiwara, Jhatpat Market is perhaps the only place in the city where women are the masters of their fate.
Though, Lea Market and other major centres are not too far from here, Jhatpat Market remains a favourity among Lyarites who love visiting it on a daily basis. Even bloody clashes between rival gangs are unable to deter them from going there.
Jhatpat Market has just about everything — kitchen items, vegetables, meat, fish, fruit, clothes and even toys. Traditional embroidery and other hand-crafted items are also sold here by local women. Then there are skilled mehndi designers who will paint your hands with henna for a small sum of money.
Interestingly, the shops are run mostly by women and children. Since women are quite independent in Lyari and run their domestic affairs, they can go to the market any time they want. Several women are seen pouring into the congested streets of Jhatpat bargaining with shop-owners in their own way. It is also accessible to everyone – those who use public transport as well as those who bring their cars.
Lyari, home to indigenous Baloch, Sindhi and Kutchi people, has a totally different lifestyle from the other villages of Sindh or Balochistan. Women are more active here than the men. As a custom, it is every woman’s duty to ask all neighbouring women before leaving for Jhatpat. Ever so often, they are seen rushing to the market after gathering at one point.
A senior activist and writer Ramazan Baloch, recalling the emergence of this market, said that before Jhatapat, the women of Lyari would travel to Lea Market to buy meat, fish, vegetables and other edibles. Then, he added, some local women started running small shops at the place now known as Jhatpat. They had food, sweets and toys for sale. Baloch said their skill as business women could be gauged from the fact that they started bringing vegetables that eventually attracted meat and fish sellers to set up stalls at Jhatpat. Baloch said that in the beginning, there were vegetables, kitchen items and other tools and later some traders introduced ready-made and second-hand clothes.
When the shopkeepers of Jhatpat realised that the women of Lyari traveled all the way to old Jama Cloth Market to buy clothes, they introduced the same variety here as well, explained Baloch. This was an achievement in its own.
Previously Jhatpat remained open for two hours only— from seven to nine in the morning because of which visitors had to rush there to get what they wanted. Now, however, Jhatpat remains open in the evening as well and will be open at night during Ramazan.
Regarding strikes and protests the local activists said that this affected the business activities and disheartened local women who unwillingly had to stay at homes. Otherwise, it is a festive environment there throughout the day. They said that shopkeepers of Jhatpat pay little amount, Rs10—20 per day to certain people for their protection and thus there is no threat to their lives and property.
Located at the heart of Lyari, Chakiwara, Jhatpat Market is perhaps the only place in the city where women are the masters of their fate.
Though, Lea Market and other major centres are not too far from here, Jhatpat Market remains a favourity among Lyarites who love visiting it on a daily basis. Even bloody clashes between rival gangs are unable to deter them from going there.
Jhatpat Market has just about everything — kitchen items, vegetables, meat, fish, fruit, clothes and even toys. Traditional embroidery and other hand-crafted items are also sold here by local women. Then there are skilled mehndi designers who will paint your hands with henna for a small sum of money.
Interestingly, the shops are run mostly by women and children. Since women are quite independent in Lyari and run their domestic affairs, they can go to the market any time they want. Several women are seen pouring into the congested streets of Jhatpat bargaining with shop-owners in their own way. It is also accessible to everyone – those who use public transport as well as those who bring their cars.
Lyari, home to indigenous Baloch, Sindhi and Kutchi people, has a totally different lifestyle from the other villages of Sindh or Balochistan. Women are more active here than the men. As a custom, it is every woman’s duty to ask all neighbouring women before leaving for Jhatpat. Ever so often, they are seen rushing to the market after gathering at one point.
A senior activist and writer Ramazan Baloch, recalling the emergence of this market, said that before Jhatapat, the women of Lyari would travel to Lea Market to buy meat, fish, vegetables and other edibles. Then, he added, some local women started running small shops at the place now known as Jhatpat. They had food, sweets and toys for sale. Baloch said their skill as business women could be gauged from the fact that they started bringing vegetables that eventually attracted meat and fish sellers to set up stalls at Jhatpat. Baloch said that in the beginning, there were vegetables, kitchen items and other tools and later some traders introduced ready-made and second-hand clothes.
When the shopkeepers of Jhatpat realised that the women of Lyari traveled all the way to old Jama Cloth Market to buy clothes, they introduced the same variety here as well, explained Baloch. This was an achievement in its own.
Previously Jhatpat remained open for two hours only— from seven to nine in the morning because of which visitors had to rush there to get what they wanted. Now, however, Jhatpat remains open in the evening as well and will be open at night during Ramazan.
Regarding strikes and protests the local activists said that this affected the business activities and disheartened local women who unwillingly had to stay at homes. Otherwise, it is a festive environment there throughout the day. They said that shopkeepers of Jhatpat pay little amount, Rs10—20 per day to certain people for their protection and thus there is no threat to their lives and property.
