Mapping Delhi’s Weekly Markets: An Explorative Study of Hafta Bazaars

Abstract

Weekly markets or ‘hafta bazaars’ are an important part of India’s cultural and traditional milieu. These informal markets are held once a week at a particular place, within varying time slots, and cater to a diverse spectrum of consumers. Although these markets are important from both an economic and a cultural point of view, they have not been documented properly. A team of researchers has attempted to comprehensively document Delhi’s weekly markets by mapping their locations, products sold and the days and timings at which they are held. This article offers a geographical overview of these markets through the creation of an innovative web portal—the first such attempt to showcase and digitise these invincible economic hubs on a single platform. Lessons from this exercise could pave the way for future research to unearth the administrative and economic models that underpin the efficient and sustainable functioning of the hafta bazaars.