SONAPUR STORIES: Bengali Market

So there is this place in the neighborhood called Bengali Market. Why the name? Well, most of the vendors there hail from Bangladesh. They sell goods like fishes, vegetables and spices and stuffs like clothes, shoes, kitchen utensils, electronics, toys and anything under the sun. Yes, literally under the sun as the place is an open, quite vast parcel of land amidst hundreds of labour camps in the sprawling Sonapur area. So, they set up their shops, usually just by laying a carpet in the ground, when the sun is about to set. While the fishes and vegetables are fresh (should be), most of the unperishable items you can get in there were those that are used slightly, with minimal and unnoticeable factory defect, originals, Class A's, imitations, in good and bad conditions and so on.

Today, I went there and looked for a bag. Searching around, I met Mohammad, a man in his 50's, who, despite of the fact that he just came from duty and it's very hot that time, still managed to give me a smile and entertain all my queries. After all his salestalks, and after I did my haggling, which I am never good at, I ended up buying his stuff at his initial offer price of AED10. I warned him that should the bag is "karban" (crappy), I will look after him to return it and he should give my money back. And he said, "OK". 😂😂🤟🤔