Dwarka: Ramphal Chowk market, a one stop destination for all your festive needs

Dwarka: One of the busiest markets of Dwarka, Ramphal Chowk, Sector 7, Dwarka is witnessing huge footfall for the last couple of days. The festive season has returned in all its glory as everyone is making their way to the market for all their festive needs. The market is likely to remain packed and busy till Diwali.

As the occasion of Karwachauth is just round the corner, henna tattoo artists indulging in their business has become a common site. It is after all the time their business booms the most. There are several henna artists who sit by the roadside in this market with their full stock of henna cones, all set to paint the canvas of your hands with henna for a moderate cost. However, they do increase their prices as the occasion comes nearer. A henna artist who sits in Ramphal Chowk tells us, "Henna tattoos for one hand can cost somewhere around rupees 200 a few days prior to the occasion, however, as the occasion approaches, we charge almost double the price." Not to say these artists are extremely busy during the whole day, so it's better to get your henna tattoo as early as possible. These artists are happy as almost after two years, their business is booming again. Sanjana, another henna tattoo artist in Ramphal chowk and a resident of Palam, says, "It becomes difficult to even take a break in the evening when there is festive rush. It is advisable to come as early as possible because once there is rush in the market, we have to increase our speed which may not result in a satisfactory result. After a huge loss during Covid, we are doing everything to recover it back. We are happy that more people are coming this year to get their henna tattoos done.”

Apart from the henna tattoos, one more thing you can easily spot in the market are mud pots. Potters from Kumhar colony (potters village) make their way to this market with a variety of clay pots. They have clay pots and other items of all sizes and colours. The price range for these pots start from rupees 20 and go upto rupees 80. Gyanchand (59), a potter who sits in the market says “I have been making pots for the last 45 years and I go to different markets to sell my goods. The decoration on the pots, with stones and glitters, is also done by me. Ahead of Diwali, I'll be making more of my pots to sell. I strongly encourage everyone to buy decor pieces from small artisans like us. It helps our livelihoods and make the festivals a joyous occasion for us as well."

In the market of Ramphal Chowk, you can also get the perfect puja thali for Karwa Chauth. There are several ‘chalni’ available for rupees 40 to 80, which are well decorated with red embroidered lace. Looking for a full pack of puja items? A beautifully embroidered ‘chalni’, plate, vase, glass, puja poster, and a book of mantras are available in the market at rupees 450. There are numerous vendors selling bangles at a range from rupees 50 to 300. You name anything you need for the festival and this market has it.