Dhanbad. After West Bengal, if any market has gained the most recognition in Dhanbad district of Jharkhand, then it is Jharia market of Jharia assembly constituency. This market is not just a trading center but has been the social and economic identity of the coal city. There was a time when this market used to be vibrant due to the thousands of laborers working in the collieries of Dhanbad and the employees of Bharat Coking Coal Limited BCCL.
Especially on the 30th and 1st of every month, when BCCL employees received their salaries, there was no place to set foot in Jharia market. There were long queues of customers at every shop selling clothes, utensils, jewellery, household items. It seemed as if the entire market was transformed into a fair.
Over 80 years of history
The history of Jharia market is considered to be more than 80 years old. According to local traders, this market gradually developed with the expansion of collieries. Even today, the specialty of this market is that everything from nails to hair, that is, every day-to-day need can be found here within an hour.
Businessman Ehsan Kapoor says that Jharia market is spread over a radius of two to three kilometers and everything like sarees, children’s clothes, lungi, gamchha, towels, utensils, suitcases, bags, school bags, shoes-sandals, Manihari items, bangles, mangalsutra, puja items, make-up material etc. are available in it. This is the reason why Jharia market has its own identity in the entire Dhanbad district.
business going on for generations
Ehsaan Kapoor has been running a suitcase, bag and school bag shop in Jharia’s Utkar Patti for the last 50 years. He says that this shop is his family’s legacy, which he took over and took forward. According to him, the condition of Jharia market was quite strong during the period when the collieries were active. Thousands of laborers and employees used to come here every month for shopping.
But circumstances changed with time. After retirement from BCCL, many employees went to their native villages or other cities. Apart from this, permanent employment decreased due to outsourcing of work by the company. This had a direct impact on Jharia market. Today many businessmen have moved towards Dhanbad city in search of better business. Ehsaan Kapoor says that Jharia is now slowly becoming an island.
Most affordable market even today
Although the old charm of the market is no longer the same, but even today Jharia market is counted among the cheapest markets of Dhanbad district. Here suitcases costing Rs 100 to 1500, children’s school bags costing Rs 50 to Rs 300 and women’s purses and handbags costing Rs 100 to Rs 250 are easily available.
Most of the goods sold here come from factories in Delhi and Kolkata, which are liked by the common people due to their low price and good quality. This market still remains a center of trust for middle class and poor families.
big center of sarees
Shubham Kesari tells that Jharia market is also known for sarees. Sarees ranging from Rs 300 to Rs 4000 are available here. The sarees brought from factories in Surat and Delhi especially attract women. Not only Dhanbad, but people from nearby rural areas also come to Jharia market to buy sarees.
A market for every class
The biggest specialty of Jharia market is that the goods needed by people of every class, from poor to rich, are available here. Jewellery, clothes, shoes, utensils, puja materials, everything is available in different budgets. This is the reason why even families with limited income come here to fulfill the needs of their entire family.
identity still intact
Despite the weakening of the coal industry and migration of population, Jharia market still maintains its identity. This market is not only a center of trade but also a symbol of Jharia’s social and cultural heritage. Local people believe that if employment opportunities increase again and attention is paid to basic facilities, Jharia market can once again regain its old glory. Even today, Jharia market proves that with simplicity, economy and diversity, any market can maintain a place in the hearts of people for a long time.
