Raja Bazaar — a colonial era business legacy

Rawalpindi:Most often stuffed with buyers, traffic and illegally encroaching vendors, Raja Bazaar, boasts of it’s over one and half century old legacy for once being the only central commercial point of ancient Rawalpindi.

As the time ran down, this British colonial era sanctuary of traders named after Rajput or Raja (castes) traders of this region still stands there with least of our younger generation knowing its origin and evolution into today’s busiest bazar of Rawalpindi.

This blend of history and trade still holds a prominent place in city’s business activities for its distinctive socioeconomic features, ancient building structures, classical archaeology designs and antique woodwork adorned with superb grillwork on facades of houses. Majority of them are remnants of Sikh rule during their reign of Punjab. Narrow streets, multi-religious community centres, mosques and temples, historic mansions, havelis, old shops and godowns reflect its cultural heritage and socioeconomic importance.

Since old ages, it still serves as the central business hub of the city by accommodating thousands of wholesales and retailer shops with diverse range of household grocery to fruits, vegetables, jewellery, cloths, cooking utensils, electronic appliances and much more. Abrar Sheikh, General Secretary Raja Bazaar’s Central Traders Association terms the bazaar as a symbol of socio-economic legacy having multi-dimensional links with local and international markets. “Looking around Fawara Chowk, one can find marks of ancient civilization towards Dingi Khoi on one side and the rich marketplace on the other side,” he said.

Strong reasons for being the heart of city are its central location and market linkage as it connects country’s North region with the South. The entrepreneurs from GB and KP too, prefer Raja Bazaar for their trading ventures after Chinas silk route. Highlighting an interesting feature of departmentalised nomenclature of its sections, Abrar Sheikh mentioned to Sarafa Bazaar as house of jewelry; Kapra Bazar for cloths and garments; Lakar Bazaar for wooden articles and raw material; Urdu Bazaar books and stationary and Masala Bazar, Sabzi Mandi and other bazars for variety of goods and services.

Around 50 per cent of shops have been converted into small plazas and joint markets after joining close by shops together making Raja Bazar the largest wholesale market of the city”, he said, “Discipline of the bazaar and running businesses is governed by a constitution formally crafted almost 120 years ago by Late Haji Muhammad Ismael, the founding father of central traders’ association.” Faisal Shahzad, Ex RCCI Vice President and President of Garments Traders Association informed that more than 2,500 shops in Raja Bazar are source of employment for thousands of workers.

Raja Bazar hosts millions of customer locally and from Azad Kashmir, GB and KP for being a one-stop market providing multiple facilities of business, logistics, banking, currency exchangers, hotels, restaurants etc. Raja Bazaar serves as a strong linkage between buyers and sellers offering multiple choices in terms of brands, quality and prices. It hotels, restaurants and tea stalls also have a variety of traditional foods like nihari, fish, soup, lassi, khoya falooda etc. as per seasonal requirement.

With Raja Bazaar’s expansion, the adjacent bazars like City Saddar Road, Barra Market, Iqbal Road, Moti Bazaar etc., once having independent identity, now seem like its offshoots. However, on identity of Moti Bazar alive, Tahir Taj Bhatti, Executive Member RCCI reveals Moti Bazaar as a separate entity named after a Hindu merchant, Moti Ram who built a haveli in 1883, that served as a Women Shelter for Hindu widows who had rejected the Satti ritual.

“The haveli, named ‘Kunya Ashram’ was meant for training widows on clothes stitching whose articles were displayed on haveli’s outer walls for sale to generate welfare funds. But, later, it converted into a small shop,” Bhatti said.

After Pakistans coming into being, the haveli was converted into a boys school and small market was developed into a bigger Moti Bazaar with 12 small market segments, Bhatti said. Today, in Moti Bazar, over 1,500 shops with diverse product are serving traders and customers. Purana Qila (Old Fort) is another ancient market known for variety of wedding clothes while Imperial Market is home to electronics and electrical items. But, after conversion of adjacent residential area into commercial markets, nearby markets now look like parts of Raja Bazar.

But, this growth of Raja Bazar and other markets brought along multiple problems for traders and residents like unusual rushes, suffocating and filthy environment and deterioration in quality of goods. “Markets expansion has reached its maximum capacity without addition of facilities,” remarked a trader, Faisal Shahzad. Continuous traffic jam coupled with noise and air pollution creates a mess besides unhealthy environment for eaters and residents. Therefore, we need special economic zone along new Ring Road for trucks and cargo containers to facilitate small traders coming to Raja Bazar, he said also recommending time management by starting bazars early morning and closing early evening to avoid rushes. As an iconic mega trade centre, Raja Bazaar can be transformed into a new commercial hub planned expansion, traffic and time management, removing encroachments and ensuring hygienic business environment.