WICityTV: Gujri, oldest junk market. Meeting the merchant's association.
Director: Jayshree Reddy, Preeti Prakash
Duration: 00:44:13; Aspect Ratio: 1.333:1; Hue: 222.071; Saturation: 0.010; Lightness: 0.453; Volume: 0.232; Cuts per Minute: 1.515; Words per Minute: 173.603
Summary: Jayshree Reddy and Preeti Prakash, crew members of
WiCityTV, spent the weekend in Shivaji Nagar's notoriously famous Gujri Market. Like Elgin talkies, possibly one of the oldest cinemas in India, Bangalore's Gujri market, established over 80 years ago bears witness to Bangalore's colonial past. The downtown hub of Shivaji Nagar, with its proximity to Cantonment is also home to Russell Market.
Here they speak with all the members of Stephen Square Merchant's Association, the Gujri shop owners. This is Jayshree and Preeti's first stint with a camera. They were studying documentary at St. Josephs College. We encouraged them to converse and not just question.
K Ahmad - whatever good work we do, we have to talk about it Our work, the funds we give, the relief we send to people, things in Shivaji Nagar...about all these, they want to inquire.
Imtiaz Ahmad- OK...
duty
fund
give
good
people
relief
talk
work
inquire
Gujri Market, Shivaji Nagar, Bangalore
Stephen Square Merchant's Association office
association
member
Jayashree – your name?
IA - Imtiaz Ahmad
J – you are also in the committee?
IA – yes..
committee
name
Jayashree - And you?
VP - Vice president, K Ahmad.
J – Vice president?
K Ahmad– yes Vice President
vice president
J – some people refer to this market of Shivaji Nagar as Gujri also.
- Yes...
J – so what is the meaning of Gujri? Is it a Hindi word or and Urdu word?
- Gujri is an Urdu word. But this market has been in existence from the time the British were in India.
age
existence
gujri
hindi
know
language
meaning
people
shivaji nagar
urdu
word
british
india
market
old
rule
time
- take the chair and sit. But the name Stephen's Square has been from the time the British were in India.
chair
sit
name
J – and Gujri is our Indianised version?
- yes, here, we call it Gujri.
J – OK, OK.....
call
gujri
indian
refer
version
J – and what all happens here? I mean we are here since yesterday and we have noticed that there some have parts of two-wheelers while the other have parts of four-wheelers. There are some who are selling scrap. Some are selling parts as automobile dealers. ...
- the thing is, the accident cars of the insurance department, the two-wheelers, the four wheelers, are all brought here.
accident
automobile
bring
brought
car
day
dealer
department
four-wheeler
inquire
insurance
notice
observe
part
sell
time
two-wheeler
scrap
- we take it and sort out the good material from the bad and keep it. The
raddi material, we weigh it and scrap it off.
bad
good
keep
material
raddi
remove
sort
weigh
I A – (garble)....tell them about that....
explain
tell
J - so now....
IA – ah, yes?
J – now there have been a lot of changes, like the entry of authorized dealers and authorized insurance people, like ?Oriental? etc. so has the business here changed, the way it was fifty years back and now?
authorize
business
company
dealer
entry
fifty
insurance
people
present
time
today
change
past
year
IA – no nothing has changed.....
KA – there haven't been many changes...
J – so everything continues as it was in the past? As in, rules like, where you buy material from, to whom it is sold, are maintained....
KA – yes...
J – the association has made the rules ...
- he is our President
J – OK...your name?
President – Mushtaq Hussein.
buy
continue
follow
maintain
make
material
name
nothing
obey
prepare
president
rule
same
sell
similar
sold
inquire
J – you all...for a term of five years....how does you election happen? When does it happen? In your committee there are twenty one members, right?
- yes...
J – till when...
- this.....
J - as in what is the term....
one
time
twenty
election
five
term
committee
- our term is of five years.
J – OK...
- after that we carry out elections. Whoever comes into the executive committee, the committee makes them its members.
decide
repeat
executive
choose
- after that the executive body, sits together to choose the President, the Secretary, and the Treasurer.
MH – the committee chooses the future people.
body
future
president
secretary
sit
together
treasurer
people
- selection is done...
- selection....
- the committee selects twelve people after which they vote for the three positions.
position
select
selection
three
twelve
vote
J - so from the time the committee has been formed, have people's problems been solved? What are the steps taken to solve the complaints of the shopkeepers? How are you trying? How is the government helping you?
- no, not the government. All the work the members of the market, whatever the work may be, the President, secretary, the committee, sit together. We call the people, ask them their problems, we decide on what kind of funds to give them, what else can be done to help each person, how to improve the person (condition), all these plans are made.
ask
call
complaint
condition
decide
effort
formation
fund
government
improve
inquire
make
offer
person
plan
problem
provide
residents
shopkeeper
sit
solve
try
way
work
help
market
time
together
- and our association, helps in (these things).
date of birth, Mohamed karta (does this mean birthday?). Every fifteen months, we cook food and distribute it amongst the poor. And once in a year, the members of the committee, the Persident, the Secretary and the whole market comes together, they call hundred children and carry out the Khatna (circumcision) of the children. For the education of the children, the children who are studying in government schools in the lower grade, from grades one to seven, on behalf of the association, copies(books) are distributed to them
behalf
book
children
circumcision
cook
copy
custom
distribute
education
fifteen
food
hundred
khatna
month
muslim
poor
school
secretary
study
day
J - so you not only take care of the business of this place, but also look after the entire
mohalla (locality)....
- take care....
J – you do that as well....
MH – the mohalla as well as the bazaar...all the businessmen...
- whoever has any problems...the shopkeepers...
- like the government, we also celebrate 15th August, also the Karnataka state Day. And we also participate in all the events of the Government and work with it also.
bazaar
business
businessmen
care
celebrate
event
government
karnataka
locality
mohalla
organize
participate
place
problem
resident
state
work
15th august
date
independence day
people
MH – we celebrate 15th August as well. Also, fifteen-twenty years back, the dead bodies in the Bowring Hospital, our people from the market got those bodies, to help perform all the final rites and the burying of the bodies in the graveyard, all of that the committee people arranged it.
J – so you people are doing a lot of community service as well.
- yes...
arrange
body
bring
bury
committee
custom
dead
fifteen
final
graveyard
hospital
market
muslim
past
perform
rite
service
twenty
year
- we also help the poor when they need medicines, wedding...
- the poor....
- people come from outside, they don't have money, their pockets has been picked, or something has gone wrong....
- we even provide them money for their ticket fare.
- Social work, all social work....
help
marriage
medicine
migrate
money
need
pick
pocket
poor
social
stolen
wedding
work
wrong
J – there are other markets also in Bangalore, like the one in Bamboo Bazaar and in Mysore road. So do you people have any type of dealings with them, or are you just friends with them...what is it like?
MH – we have dealings with them...
- when it comes to business, we are friends and also some type of give and take....
MH – friendship also...
bangalore
bazaar
business
deal
friend
friendship
inquire
market
people
J – we have heard that here, all the people are descendants of each others families, and that there are no new people here...
descendant
family
hear
new
J – whoever has been born here, as in, in the community you know everyone here, all the shopkeepers....
- this is an ancestral thing....
J - yes... so does this help your business?
- in this generation(present), the old are seventy five percent, twenty five percent of the new people, we have accepted them as well.
benefit
born
everyone
family business
inquire
know
old
percent
percentage
present
recognize
seventy five
shopkeeper
accept
ancestral
generation
J – who are not from any ancestral lineage....
- no, who are not from an ancestral lineage....
- we prefer it when they are in our relation (relatives)
- the 'Id of the Church' (Christmas), at that time, we also help the Father (Priest).
christmas
church
father
help
id
lineage
priest
time
J – so there are no differences. A lot of communal harmony exists here.
- yes...
communal
difference
exist
harmony
lack
KA - we all stay together. Like a family. There you will find the Sikhs, Christians, Muslims, Brahmins...they all stay together.
J – some people were also saying yesterday, that in Shivaji Nagar, actually, everything is going well. The crime rate is very low, there are no
Talaq (divorces), everyone's education is also going well....but all this never gets advertised.
brahmin
christian
crime
day
divorce
education
family
low
muslim
rate
religion
sikh
stay
talaq
together
well
advertise
good
shivaji nagar
J – Like people say that, Indira Nagar and Koramangala are like this and that, but no one advertises Shivaji Nagar. What is your opinion about this? Not a lot of people know Shivaji Nagar...they don't know about the good work that takes place here.
- people don't know.
IA – mostly the people of the media don't come to Shivaji Nagar. They go to sensitive places like Koramangala, Jayanagar, Indira Nagar. What is happening is that they say this is a sensitive area, but don't come this side.
comparison
explain
media
opinion
people
say
sensitive
unaware
work
place
area
J – but sensitive area? This is a nice place...
IA – a very good place.
J - The crime rate is low, everything is going well...
IA – no crimes in Shivaji Nagar, we are a very united locality.
J – yes, but then why is this area neglected?
crime
inquire
locality
low
neglect
nice
rate
unite
unity
well
IA – because of the politicians...
- there is no improvement in Shivaji Nagar...they do all the improvement outside. This area has no improvement. Now on ?Kala? road, the Circle area, the Hospital Road...there is absolutely no improvement. Only this area nothing is happening, but the rest of Bangalore, entire Karnataka has gone far ahead. No improvement in the Shivaji Nagar area. What could be the reason?... This market is 100-200 years old.
ahead
development
entire
hundred
improve
karnataka
market
old
two hundred
year
lack
politician
reason
improvement
- but till today it is just the way it was, without any improvement. There is no help. The only thing that is done is that they (politicians) come, during the time of voting they talk and go away. That is all. After that no minister turns back to look at what is happening here, how is everything, how much trouble the people here are going through, they are carrying out their businesses on the road, the reason being that there not much place to carry out the businesses. Had there been more space, then why would they be on the road?
business
care
help
look
minister
place
present
promise
road
see
space
talk
time
today
trouble
vote
people
- now the complaint might be going anywhere in
Hindustan (India), but then what? Where will we small people go? There should be some improvement for us as well right? We have no form of relief. There is no improvement of Shivaji Nagar.
complaint
economic
hindustan
india
lower-class
poor
relief
shivaji nagar
small
J - the people we were talking to told us that in Bangalore, software has been introduced, American companies have also entered. But that is only one percent. Our entire business...
- our business, the way it was during our father and grandfather's time, continues to be the same.
america
bangalore
business
company
enter
globalization
inform
it
market
multinational
percent
percentage
software
talk
father
grandfather
past
time
same
similar
- what form of improvement did we get? From the time
Hindustan(India) got its azadi (independence) , we have nothing.
J - ....(garble)
- the ministers come and say, that hundred years have passed... but what do we have? Our condition is the same as it was during our father and grandfather's time.
azadi
change
hindustan
hundred
independence
india
minister
pass
year
condition
lack
improvement
- the condition of shops are still the same. There is no improvement of shop and of the bazaar. Big complexes are being build, but, for our new generation, nothing for us, our lives are over, but what has been done for the future of our children?
big
build
children
complex
end
future
life
shop
worry
generation
new
- there is nothing....
- for the new generation...
- there is no improvement for our new generation...
MH – there is no help
- what we are saying is that we want help.
help
need
nothing
want
IA – the hardware, software..what you are saying about the hardware and the software, all the north Indians, and others who have come from outside, have improved. But the people of Bangalore, are just stuck here and are suppressed. So there has been no improvement.
advancement
bangalore
development
hardware
improve
migrate
north indian
outsider
people
software
suppress
IA – there are no government facilities for us, no funds, nothing. We are just living like animals, nothing else.
animal
condition
facility
fund
government
lack
live
J – so do you think that as the computers have come, they have helped you in your work, in your business?
IA – no...
J – technology has not helped this market at all?
IA – no, nothing.
business
computer
help
inquire
market
technology
work
J – what type of improvement should happen, as you are saying...
IA – make a complex for us. A big complex. Change our shops. Make arrangement for a larger space. We need space to break the cars open. For the public to move around we need space.
arrangement
break
car
change
improvement
large space
move
open
opinion
public
rebuild
big
shop
complex
J – you are saying that it would be good if a complex was built. So if a big mall like the Forum was built here, a big complex, then you all will shift your shops in it?
- yes we will.
MH – we will...
- shopping complex, like the Garuda Mall, and the Forum...
good
. mall
plaza
shift
shopping
build
J – no what is your opinion about it?
– we can shift, we can...if a complex is built, we are ready for it.
J – OK...so do you think it will be better?
– definitely better...
J – better than this place...
– yes yes....
J – better than the way the market is right now?
– yes yes...
– improvement is better.....
better
condition
inquire
market
opinion
pace
ready
think
improvement
J – what else can they do, apart from giving you all a complex and things like that? Are there some rules and regulations that are stopping you from doing a proper business and working very well?
- if the complex is built we can change the business also. Because this business is going day by day.....
– that way some improvement will take place. We have no improvement.
- there are newer cars coming in , the older ones are over now.
– secondhand parts no one is buying now a days. Now there are things like company guarantees, and other things. So nobody is coming here now. A business that was very good before, it is not the same now. So we can change the business also, if a complex or a shopping mall is built.
avoid
buy
car
change
company
day
function
guarantee
mall
over
past
people
plaza
present
regulation
rule
secondhand
shopping
stop
today
work
old
good
new
business
(English)
J – so do you think, all these western car dealers like Ford and all these who are coming into the market, this is good or has it affected the business or...
– it has affected business, but it is good. Very good...
(Hindi)
Preeti – by good you mean...?
(English)
– I mean, newer vehicles are coming, the old vehicles are going out. Our country Is also improving...
Preeti – so this is good?
– yes it is good.
affect
country
dealer
education
enter
ford
generation
market
opinion
vehicle
western car
improve
Preeti – so when you are say that you are ready to change the business, what does it mean?
– it means that if a complex is made, a good building is built, then our condition will also improve, the materials will improve, we can introduce newer items also. Right now we what we are doing is only dealing wit the scrap and earning some money, and go home... our lives are done, but for the coming new generation, something should be done.
build
building
change
complex
condition
deal
inquire
introduce
item
life
mall
material
money
over
ready
shop
earn
livelihood
scrap
J – a lot of people are saying that they don't want their children to manage the same businesses.
– yea...
J – they want their children to do something else....
glassy – those who are educated, only they will be doing something else..
- it is not like that...
– the few children who are doing well, going to colleges, they will do other jobs, but those who are not that intelligent, will be the ones who will turn out managing the business of their fathers and grandfathers. What else can they do?
college
educate
few
grandfather
intelligent
job
manage
people
result
same
well
work
children
father
– I am doing what my father used to do, my children will do what I m doing. Two of my children are elsewhere and one is here. This is how the business continues.
– the cost of living is poor. Because of that, we are giving education, if a new complex comes, then they can also come....
– if a complex is built then a school can also be built, children will learn....
– everything is expensive....food and drinks are also expensive. Everything is costly.
bad
build
complex
continue
cost of living
costly
drink
education
expensive
food
learn
mall
reason
school
poor
new
Preeti – we spoke to some people in the market and they told us that, because of Gujri, the poorest of the poor and the richest of the rich, can also live. Those who don't have much money can pick up second hand materials from here. The billionaires
arabpati and the millionaires crorepati , who have a lot of money, can go to the dealership. If this Gujri ends, and your business changes where you all stop selling secondhand parts and start selling new parts, then what happens to those poor people. Where will they go?
(photograph)
ROSHAN CHIRAGH (Bright Lamp) – STRENGTH OF THE UNION, from 1997-2005.
approach
arabpati
billionaire
buy
change
crorepati
dealership
end
gujri
inquire
live
market
millionaire
money
organization
part
people
photograph
result
rich
speak
stop
survive
earn
livelihood
material
sale
secondhand
sell
year
- no, nothing like that will happen,
– won't happen.
– that will never happen. Even if we are into a new business, the exchanged material, which will be second hand, the poor will earn their
rozi(livelihood) by selling that. Now the government's orders that in Karnataka, all those cars which are twenty or more years old, those cars have to be rejected and removed.
MH – to scrap them off.
– to scrap them off, and to keep the new cars.
disagree
exchange
government
guarantee
karnataka
keep
never
old
order
removed
rozi
scrap
reject
twenty
car
– that way, these new cars of today will be rejected twenty years later, and these episodes will continue.
– this will not end...
- ....the end will never happen.
- if you ask people to drive a Fiat or an Ambassador, they get embarrassed. Now people want, Maruti cars, the Lancers, the latest cars.
J – now it is an issue of prestige....
– yes...
J – the bigger the car you drive, the bigger....
– yes, that depends on each person...
ambassador
big
bigger
continue
drive fiat
embarrass
end
issue
lancer
latest
maruti
model
person
prestige
today
people
want
– so the people, now want to remove old cars from their homes. And for that, where do they look?
- Gujri
– they come to Gujri, and search for the people (shops) and sell those cars for ten-fifteen thousand. And then, new cars bought from showrooms, they park in front of their houses.
Preeti – but he just said, that in order to change a business, you people are ready....
– yes, yes we are ready....
– now what is happening is that, the older cars are now completely...
Jayashree- by saying business change, you mean, improvement , make it better, make it computerized.
– yes...
J- make it much more....
– even a different business will also be OK, madam...
Preeti -you mean authorized...as, in are you talking about, starting something different like a different shop?
– yes...
approach
arrive
authorized
better
buy
come
completely
computerize
different
fifteen
front
gujri
house
improvement
old
park
ready
rupees
sell
shop
showroom
talk
ten
thousand
business
change
(English)
- because now a days what happens is that our children are educated, and they will not do this business.
(Hindi)
- earlier our children would not study, now they do. My son has done his MBA.
(English)
– now we are educated, fully educated, madam.....
(Hindi)
MBA – his son is in B.Com. second year. So the children say they don't want to do the same business and that something else should be done. They say, why should we remain in Gujri.
Glassy – they don't want to live in such conditions...
Preeti – why...
Glassy - the conditions here....
MBA – in this place, to come and go, the roads are not good, the environment is not good...
Glassy – they are embarrassed to sit here(run the shops) .
- now his son is, is highly educated.......but he says he does not want to be here.
- his son has done his MBA.
b.com. year
bad
children
commerce
degree
educated
good
mba
past
post-graduate
present
second
son
stick
study
today
condition
environment
interest
lack
live
refuse
road
wish
place
The members explain the choices and change in the perspective of the newer generation.
avoid
choice
outlook
perspective
view
generation
Glassy – he does not want to sit and run the business here, in this condition in this environment.
MBA – they will go to other areas, this road and that....
- there is no improvement...
- they want to live in a better environment.
- if this place undergoes some improvement, then we can ask our children to remain here, sit on the shops.
- there would not be any problem.
MH – here are old buildings and old shops, they don't want to be here. They want to be in newer areas and on newer roads.
J – so if in the showrooms, where car parts can be displayed, then people can come there,
MH – yes, they will come there....
J- they will treat the shop with respect, they will buy from there and leave.
MH – this is what they(youngsters) desire.
– if the build a complex...
MH – that is why our children don't come here.
- it is not only about the business. Those who are working, who are engineers, say they can do something and bring about improvement , but if you tell them in Gujri, they say they will not come here.
area
ask
building
buy
come
display
engineer
job
occupation
old
part
people
remain
respect
showroom
transformation
treat
treatment
work
improvement
shop
- that way, the children also want good things, want better improvement...
- a better bazaar....
- to move around in a new place.
MH – a new place where they can open a new shop with a different business, only then will they come, and manage the place(business)...
- now in the entire Bangalore, the business of insurance , helps us, our businessmen.
bangalore
bazaar
better
businessmen
children
entire
help
insurance
manage
open
start
different
- now all the salaries are like ten thousand and plus... people are earning ten fifteen up to twenty thousand rupees. Some are also getting forty thousand as salary, in places like ICICI, in different companies... there have been times here, where in spite of working for a month we don't even get money, in the market, in spite of the hard work.
bank
earning
hard work
market
money
month
occasion
occupation
people
rupees
salary
ten
thousand
time
wages
company
job
- now there are good jobs in companies where they can work, comfortably, they were good clothes, they go on bikes...
- to come here the children are embarrassed.
- you have to give education, but not for business. Education is important.
bike
clothes
comfortable
good
lifestyle
motorbike
travel
work
J – so what do you think about this market which is more than a hundred years old, which has its own history, its own heritage, a culture.
(English) - that will be there....
J – will it run in spite of the modernization that is taking place?
(English)- that will be there, we will not leave our culture...
J - Companies like McDonald's etc...will this market continue?
(English)- see we are celebrating Independence Day, all this will remain.
- the market will continue.
J – so this will not close down, nothing like that will happen?
- it is not like that...
MH - it is not like that...
J - that will not happen?
- we only want improvement, nothing more.
MH – we will definitely keep the market...
- the market will remain, without it where will our generation go? If we don't do this, then what else do we have?
business
celebrate
close
compromise
continue
culture
end
enter
heritage
history
hundred
improvement
independence day
inquire
keep
leave
marker
market
mcdonald's
modernization
old
opinion
remain
transformation
want
year
definitely
- no, education is important. It is necessary for the children to learn.
- education is definitely important. We are educating the children, it is not like the children are not learning. I have three children, all three of them are not educated. One is here, the other two are elsewhere. Now I m worried about their future, that is why.
children
education
future
important
learn
necessary
three
uneducated
worry
J – now everyone says that they prefer to go to the authorized dealers and will not buy things from unauthorized dealers. So who decides the difference between the two? It should be OK if all parts are made available for people everywhere. So what do you feel about that?
allow
authorized
available
buy
dealer
decide
difference
distinction
feel
opinion
preference
inquire
people
unauthorized
(English)
- there is nothing unauthorized
J – there is nothing like unauthorized?
- no nothing like unauthorized...
J – but then people say that if you go to Stephen's Market, you will only get unauthorized stuff and not authorized stuff. What do they mean by that?
- no, no, I don't know what is that.
J – yea...
- there is no unauthorized...
J – so everybody....
- we do authorized business only.
know
market
material
meaning
say
stuff
One of the younger members converses in English.
business
Preeti - what does that mean?
(English)
- authorized means what - means according to the law we will do. And illegal business...
J – not like authorized dealership, like Maruti has authorized dealership for all these things. So what is the difference between it all?
- the difference is that we deal with secondhand parts. First of all, we don't go to any dealers. We only go to insurance companies, and whichever part we will get we will sell them as secondhand parts.
approach
company
deal
difference
insurance
maruti
part
secondhand
sell
authorized
car
dealer
dealership
illegal
(English)- authorized means new cars that come, the customers go and buy directly from them.
(Hindi) Preeti – what does the word illegal mean according to you? What does illegal mean?
(English) – illegal mean all those things which are done without proof and without paying taxes etc.
(English)
Preeti - without the?
- illegal means, now a days people say that we buy some stolen cars and like that.
Preeti – that is illegal?
- that is illegal and we don't do that.
(Hindi) Preeti – you people are against that?
(English) - against. Fully against. Hundred percent.
Preeti – OK...
against
buy
customer
direct
enter
fully
hundred
lack
market
meaning
new
pay
people
percent
present
proof
stolen
tax
today
- OK you leave.....OK now our president has to leave... he has some work...
J – would you like to say something before you leave?
MH – hello, yes.....
leave
offer
president
say
work
Preeti – so do you have support of the government? As in, in the auto-business, the auto-business....as in the infrastructure..... as in, I m not talking about the development....does your turnover form a part of the auto business? The money that you are making...
- no not the government....the government has not .....
Preeti – yes, please continue....
automobile
continue
contribution
development
part
referring
request
support
talk
business
generate
money
turnover
government
Preeti – the money that you are making, your turnover....you are creating some money isn't it? You are making profit for the government. You are carrying out a business in this area. So about this, what does the government have to say?
area
create
function
inquire
manage
opinion
profit
– the government has in no way taken care of us. Whatever is happening here is our contribution.
care
contribution
effort
lack
people
help
- we are doing it all through our hard work......(garble)
Preeti – what is the reason behind it? Is it because....
-....If we ask help from the government, they will ask us to give CST(Central Sales Tax), KST(Karnataka Sales Tax), this and that. Now tell us, people like us, where would we arrange all that from?
arrange
hard work
inability
man
money
poor
reason
ask
central
cst
inquire
karnataka sales tax
kst
sales tax
tax
Preeti – which all...tell us which all ....Sales Tax...
– they ask for sales tax, CST (Central Sales Tax), KST (Karnataka Sales Tax)....
Preeti – what does that mean?
– as in the Karanataka Tax, the Central Government Tax. One has to keep a copy of these.
Preeti – who has to keep this?
- we are told to keep it....
– the shopkeepers are told to keep it all.
demand
expect
explain
keep
record
want
meaning
shopkeeper
Preeti – so that is called 'Authorized', isn't it? The person who pays the sales tax and who takes a permit to open a shop. That which no one in this market has...
– no they have, some people do have it....
Preeti – how many people?
– we two three people have it....
- no no, most have the permit...
- Oh! Please be quiet.
– ten percent people have it. That all....
– ten to twenty percent....
Preeti – so do they get support?
- ten to twenty percent comprise of them, the remaining 75 percent are carrying out the business without it.
Preeti – give us a rough estimate of the amount you are required to give as sales tax.
(English) – we don't know madam...
acquire
authorized
business
lack
manage
market
open
own
pay
people
percent
percentage
permit
person
quiet
required
seventy five
shop
support
ten
twenty
One of the younger members converses in English.
amount
estimate
Preeti – no, something at least....i have no idea about it, that is why.....
(English) – no what is there, is that we buy secondhand parts. We never know the actual price of it. Sometimes we buy it for a hundred rupees but in the evening we will sell it for hundred and ten rupees. The profit is very less.
Preeti – OK...
(English) – we can't even earn this much for our living
actual
buy
car
earn
hundred
idea
less
live
livelihood
margin
part
price
profit
rupee
sale
secondhand
sell
unaware
Preeti – give us an example. Like, if you....as in, on which products are the taxes charged.
– four percent tax is levied. On the secondhand....
Preeti – the VAT(Value Added Tax) ?
– no, the Tax....
- twelve percent....
example
four
levy
material
percent
product
secondhand. vat
twelve
charge
percentage
value added tax
tax
– now the VAT which has been introduced, that is twelve percent.
Preeti – yes, the VAT is twelve percent.
- is it twelve percent?
– yes....now the smaller businessman, how will he do that?
– how will he?
Preeti – so you are not even charging the tax...as in you are selling secondhand, but you don't charge...
– no, no, we don't...
J - that is the big USP. That the cost here....
– that is what the government does not understand about our shop(business)....
Preeti – so because you don't levy those taxes...as in, you can't....
– what is the need for it?
avoid
big
businessmen
cost
introduce
manage
need
pay
sell
small
twelve percent
unable
usp
vat
secondhand
Preeti – because the people who come here, do not have that much money, and your margins are also very less.
– very low profit.
Preeti – if you also start levying these takes then there will be no difference between you and the authorized dealers.
authorized
dealer
difference
less
levy
low
margin
money
people
profit
sale
scrap
shop
shopkeeper
unauthorized
come
– the customers wont come...
– we are secondhand persons...
– for a thing of hundred rupees we add twenty rupees as tax, then they wont come here, they will directly go to buy a new piece. Will not come to Gujri. Our business...
Preeti – will go down....
– will go down, that is why, in case of this problem of tax, we don't even have any help from the government.
Preeti - one can't even expect from them...
– not at all....
approach
business
customer
gujri
help
hundred
new
person
piece
problem
product
rupee
suffer
twenty
expect
government
– if the government supports us, then we can get even more ahead. Now there is no chance of getting ahead.
– no there still is....
- There are a lot of problems...
Preeti – so what do you think, should the government make something else for the secondhand parts?
– we want a concession...
Preeti – so tell us something about that. What kind of concessions do you expect? What do you want...
– say something....
advancement
ahead
build
concession
development
inquire
introduce
make
part
support
want
Preeti – for this problem....
– about the tax.....
– the shopkeepers can give a monthly tax. But if they are compulsorily expected to take it from the customers then that cannot happen...
– we can pay monthly....make some amount that we can pay monthly. But we can't keep bills and all that. We can't keep....
– a hundred, two hundred we can arrange for government. But if we are expected to take some amount from the customers then how can that happen?
- the customer will not give.
ability
amount
arrangement
charge
compulsory
hundred
inability
problem
refuse
customer
keep
month
monthly
pay
record
shopkeeper
tax
P – so a monthly tax you can give.
– yes we can...
– definitely, why not.
P – because you are on government property, you have to. But to maintain the bill, and take care of every detail....
– yes, we are not educated, so we don't know how to maintain a bill, for that we will have to keep someone else? If we keep someone else, then...(what about) us?
– every shopkeeper is ready to give a monthly tax. But if we are expected to take money from the customers and keep an account of it all, then we cannot do that.
P – about this have you spoken to the association?
– yes ....
– yes, we have discussed this with everyone and have made a resolution. But about this we have not contacted the government.
Preeti – you haven't?
– no we haven't
Preeti – do you plan to contact the government?
bill
care
contact
decide
definitely
detail
maintain
make
money
plan
property
ready
resolution
unable
discuss
– now when the topic comes up, we will discuss it. We don't want to mess with them, its a lot of problem.
Preeti – you don't wish to touch the topic yourself?
– no we don't
P – till they...
– till they don't come here, we won't.
approach
discussion
problem
start
topic
P – so what has been decided as your resolution about the percentage of tax?
– no we don't make any resolutions about it. Whatever letter of correspondent, comes from the government, we discuss about it, where we decide how to handle that, how to deal with it. Those are the resolutions that are made.
J – one more proposal of the government for you has been talked about for many years, which is the relocation of the market. So what do you feel about that and what is your opinion on it?
-the relocation plans have been talked about for a long time.
(English)So many people are coming and saying, one of our political leaders is also saying that we will be relocated...
correspondent
deal
decision
government
handle
leader
letter
make
percentage
plan
political
promise
proposal
relocation
resolution
talk
tax
time
year
market
people
relocate
inquire
opinion
One of the younger members converses in English.
(English)– but they are not saying where we will be relocated. First we have to see the place, no? How much we have? Then we have to talk to our people also.
J – double than this?
(English)– we want at least up to four acres.
J – four acres only?
– four acres right?
– yes...
- we want it to be from four to six acres....
J – and how big is this market?
(English)– maybe around three acres...is it three acres?
– three and a half I think...
– three acres...
Preeti – three acres...
big
consider
double
place
see
six
size
three
acre
area
four
land
space
(Englsih)– if they give at least four acres of land with proper facilities, then we are ready....
J – but you all will agree? You like the proposal of shifting....
– yes...
Preeti – what do the people have to say about this?
– we know the people's opinion.
– association....
Preeti – some people were saying.....
(English) – some will be there, who do not wish to shift. But a majority are ready to shift.
Preeti – they are ready to shift...
– yes...
Preeti – some people were saying that their children's schools are not close- by
(English) – they will say like that, but we will have to do this. For the improvement of the state, the city also. We will have to do it.
against
agree
children
city
close-by
facility
important
improvement
like
majority
minimum
near
necessary
proposal
ready
school
shift
state
wish
J – there is something like a tender that comes up. I don't know how it runs or what the business thing is like. But it comes from the government and things like that. So can you just explain the whole process?
(English) – see tender from the government for some other vehicles are there. They will give us tenders. The tenders people will go and inspect the vehicle, then we quote some rate. Then we buy the vehicle from there. They take tax also from us for that vehicle. We pay that tax and we bring. The tender is passed in our name.
bring
business
explain
function
inspect
name
pass
people
process
quote
rate
request
tender
thing
understand
vehicle
buy
government
car
tax
(English) J – government tax? What is the tax called?
– it is the....what is the tax called?....
– that is the VAT.
– the VAT.
– for a running car they charge the VAT, for a scrap car, they charge four percent tax.
(English)– for any car, if we buy scrap, they take four percent tax.
- the VAT has just come, earlier there was just the tax.
Preeti – yes, the tax...
– with the coming of the VAT, twelve percent goes there. On the new and the old cars which are auctioned or given a tender for, they take down a quotation.
auction
charge
four
functioning
inquire
introduction
levy
new
old
percent
percentage
scrap
twelve
value added tax
vat
quotation
– after taking the quotation, the car is sold to the highest bidder. The lowest is discarded.
- without tax we will not get....
bidder
discard
highest
sell
sold
take
(English)
- without tax we will not get the vehicle from the tenders, government auction.
J – so in some ways the government is actually supporting you all and in some way they are not. They are giving you all the tenders, taking tax , but in other ways they are not doing any improvement here.
– yes.
J – are they playing some double role?
auction
bias
double
give
government
necessary
pay
play
role
support
tender
unable
vehicle
One of the younger members converses in English.
improvement
(English) – because the politics are like that, no.
Preeti- what are the politics? Tell us a bit about it.
(English) – see, one party will be there, the next time some other party will come. One party will say they will improve us, they will make new shops and give us. They will make a new complex and give us, but when that party changes, they will not say like that. They will say something different. So we are always stuck in between these parties.
build
change
complex
different
improve
party
politics
promise
shop
stuck
Preeti – haven't you raised this issue...
– we have...
Preeti - that whenever you pick up the scrap, we pay tax. At that time you know that we exist. But when it is our turn to ask for something, that is when you do not support us. Have you ever raised this issue in front of them?
KA – no no, there we only pay the tax and take the stuff and sell it here.
- thats all. Nothing else.
aware
buy
chance
exist
issue
knowledge
pick
raise
sale
scrap
sell
government
pay
tax
– now the government has some terms and conditions, which is why they don't give without taking the tax. We have to give it there. But when we don't recover it when we come here. We do it just like that. Without worrying about the income (gains), without any intentions.
– so sometimes we get a profit, sometimes we go through a loss as well.
Preeti – loss?
– yes...competition will be there. Sometimes we lose, sometimes we gain.
avoid
charge
competition
condition
explain
gain
income
intention
levy
lose
loss
profit
recover
term
worry
J – so do you think that the other markets like the Bamboo Bazaar, etc. have the same problems or is there more improvement there or is there lesser improvement?
bazaar
improvement
inquire
less
more
problem
market
same
– no...
J – same?
– no no, everywhere it is the same. Same. Same.
– take the case of Bamboo Bazaar or Siddaiah road or the Mysore road. All are in the same condition. There is no difference in it.
area
condition
difference
everywhere. bazaar
road
place
J – so do all the committees meet sometimes at one place?
– they meet sometimes. These auctions that take place, they are big government auctions. It is a business of a hundred thousand rupees. And so at that time, one or two people don't meet, but all the people, some from here, some from there, those who are basically interested in attending the auctions, they all attend it together.
big
business
committee
hundred thousand
interested
meet
meeting
rupees
together
attend
auction
people
- there is an auction organized by the Telephone Exchange, by the Military, every place has its auction. They send the invitation for the tenders on peoples addresses. So according to type of tender, we attend it.
address
invitation
invite
military
organize
send
telephone exchange
tender
type
- any questions?
Preeti – yes, one last question, are you are you an association for the Gujri Market or for the entire Shivaji Nagar?
- only Gujri
preeti – are you all shopkeepers?
All – yes..
J - you also have your own.....
Preeti – so just ask a small.....(inaudible)
J – we have questions for you, for two minutes each, like what is your business about and since when are you here.
ask
entire
gujri
inquire
last
market
minute
question
shivaji nagar
shopkeeper
small
year
business
time
- I m here for the last ten years. My business is of (automobile) body parts. These body parts I take from the insurance company and I sell them off.
automobile
body
company
insurance
part
sell
take
ten
Preeti – you...
KA – my business is of tarpaulin , We
lena-dena (trade) old clothes.
J – for how many years?
KA – I have been doing this for five, ten years.
clothes
five ten
old
tarpaulin
trade
– I m into the business of motor parts. We take the vehicles through auctions. We
lena-dena (trade). I m here for the last thirty years.
auction
buy
lena-dena
purchase
take
thirty
vehicle
motor
part
(English)
– ours is also a motor parts business. We are here from 1932. my grandfather was here. From that time we are doing that business of old parts...scrap...
J – so the market is much older.
– yes, yes...1932, if you want, we have a photo also. We can show you...
1932
One of the younger members of the association talks in English.
family business
market
older
photo
scrap
show
grandfather
old
want
– my business is also concerning the old parts, the motor parts. From the time of our grandfather and father, we were into this business. I am a very old man. But then, because there is no improvement, I m making a request. We want improvement, improvement of the bazaar also. We want help from the government. For all this....
bazaar
government
help
improvement
man
request
father
- ours is also a motor parts business. We are here for approximately ten years. From the time of my father, we are in this business.
ten
year
– mine is a motor parts and spring plate shop. I m here for fifteen years.
fifteen
shop
spring plate
J – wold you also like to say something? We have been asking the questions all this while. So would you like to talk about something, say something? Because this is a Shivaji Nagar channel, so would you like to say something for the people of Shivaji Nagar? Or...anything...
- madam, what I want to say is, that you make us look good too....
KA – we want improvement, we have to improve Shivaji Nagar as well. If the government helps us, then this Shivaji Nagar can become better. Rebuilding our market and making it better will help Shivaji Nagar to become better. That is our opinion.
ask
better
channel
improve
improvement
inquire
look
market
need
opinion
people
question
rebuild
resident
say
shivaji nagar
talk
good
want
wish
government
KA – if the government supports us then we will be very happy.
– we also wish our city to be kept clean. We wish to sit in a good environment in the future.
(English)
– we are ready to change the business. We want some good shopping malls, something, and we are ready to change also...
J – so you want modernization?
– yes, yes...
J – you want technology?
– yes. Yes.
change
city
clean
environment
future
happy
mall
modernization
plaza
ready
shift
shopping
support
technology
business
(English)
Tamim– what we want is improvement here. So we request the government to help us.
J – so you also have a shop here?
Tamim – yes. I have a shop here, it is a tarpaulin shop. My father has been here for thirty five years, he has been doing the business since then.
J – your name?
Tamim – my name is Tamim.
Young man talking in English.
father
inquire
name
request
shop
tarpaulin
thirty five
time
year
help
improvement
(English)
J – so basically you want government improvements, and that will help a lot, because otherwise everything is going on perfectly fine.
All- yes.
fine
lot
perfect
want
Preeti – what is that written?
- that is our....
J - could you read it out please? What is it?
Preeti – it is a Holy thing.
J – Oh, Ok.
View of the interior of the office of the Stephen's Square Merchant's Association, a frame with some words of the Holy Koran are seen in Urdu
chandelier
holy koran
inquire
muslim
read
request
view
written
businessmen
interior
merchant
text
urdu
frame
office
great photos
Camera pans and zooms in, to show a framed photograph of the committee members of Stephen's Square Merchant's Association between the years 1997 and 2007.
above the photograph is written 'Roshan Chirag (Bright Lamp) – Strength of the Union), a list of the executive members is also next to the photograph. Extreme zoom in to show the members. The camera tracks down to show the 'notes board' with M.A.S.S (members association of Stephen Square) and some Urdu text written on the top. The board contains a document in Urdu , some photographs, and some newspaper clippings.
J – the members yes.
Preeti – no we have gone around, but if you wish to show us something, then...we have just taken two, three rounds.
(garble)
Preeti – we will leave our numbers with you. When it gets aired...you can also give us your numbers.
1997
2005
bright
clipping
document
executive
lamp
leave
list
newspaper
notes board
notice board
number
photograph
round
strength
telecast
telephone
union
walk
wish
year
zoom-in
pan
camera
Camera pans to show the wall-clock of the Stephen's Square Merchant's Association office. Camera further pans to show K Ahmad at the office door. In line with the door arranged are some cupboards. Camera pans around the room for a view of the office interiors. Furniture and other frames with Urdu text are seen on walls.
clock
cupboard
furniture
time
view
wall clock
chair
Ambient conversation
Camera tracks and zooms in on a frame with Urdu text on a wall.
wall
zoom in
muslim
track
Camera tracks and pans up to show a frame with a panoramic view of the Mecca – a holy Islamic city
city
holy
islam
mecca
view
Camera pans up, to show the notes board of the Stephen's Square Merchant's Association office. Two photographs and three newspaper clippings are attached to it. The headlines of two of the clippings are 'Towards a child-labor free state' and 'teams to check child labor. The third clipping is in Kannada language.
J – this is the photo.....oh this news keep changing is it?
change newspaper
child-labor
clipping
free
headline
kannada
language
news
notes board
noticeboard
officemerchant
photograph
state
businessmen
Camera moves up to show the members engrossed in a discussion in the Stephen's Square Merchant's Association office. Camera person moves towards the door. Furniture can be seen arranged around the room.
camera
discuss
discussion
door
engross
furniture
group
room.merchant
Ambient conversation
arrangement
office
Exterior view. Shoes and other footwear outside the office. A seating arrangement is made in the courtyard of the Stephen's Square Merchant's Association office.
shoes
courtyard
exterior
merchant
Exterior shot. A seating arrangement is made in the courtyard of the Stephen's Square Merchant's Association office. Camera pans.
- no the thing is, some people do not have a lot of knowledge, so if you ask company a question, then they give such answers, when they don't even know anything and blurt out whatever comes to their mouth.
Preeti – every person is entitled to have his own freedom of speech.
Camera pans to show members of the Stephen's Square Merchant's Association, engrossed in discussion.
camera
discussion
engross
entitle
freedom
knowledge
lot
mouth
person
speak
speech
answer
blurt
people
discuss
group
question
Preeti – some people feel that....(inaudible) but may be their opinions may not match with others.
– but here we have such people who don't have a mind at all. And these people, whatever question you ask them, they just blurt out answers. That is why I am saying this....
(video cuts)
- So please edit that and show it nicely.
ask
edit
feel
match
mind
nice
opinion
please
request
show
Preeti – that becomes censorship, no?
J - the theme of our conference is also that, the government keeps talking about copyright, tender, trademark, no copying, buy only branded things. So what we are saying is that, why are these rules being made, and who is making them. If we want to buy a CD from the Forum(mall), then it will cost us four hundred rupees. The same CD we will get it from National Market for a hundred rupees, and so we want to buy it from there only.
brand
buy
cd
censorship
conference
copy
copyright
cost
four hundred
government
hundred
less
mall
market
permission
prefer
preference
rupees
same
talk
tender
theme
trademark
want
make
rule
J - But there, daily, raids are carried out. And those people have a lot of problem because of this. So what we want is to understand the right and the wrong, who is making these rules. And so we are questioning all that. That is why...you know...
daily
people
problem
raid
right
understand
wrong
Members come out of the office of Stephen's Square Merchant's, Association.
exit
exterior
office
Exterior shot. Camera pan around the market – scraps shown.
camera
pan
view
market
part
scrap
vehicle
Preeti – so you know how many years ago this was?
Pink – we know from the photo that it was around 1932.
Preeti – Oh, OK...
Walking with one of the members through the Gujri(junk) market.
1932
gujri
inquire
junk
know
motor
photo
year
lane
passers-by
road
shop
walk
Walking through the Gujri(junk) market.
Preeti – you will do that, not us.....
Walking up the stairs.
climb
enter
house
steps
Camera pans up to show photograph.
black and white
color
frame
monochromatic
photograph
great photos
J - Is that him?
Pink – yes.
J – OK what is his name?
Pink – Sheik Moula
J – OK, and this is?
Pink – this is Ahmed Sharif.
J - OK.
name
inquire
Camera zooms in to an old black and white photograph of two men sitting outside a shop.
J – Oh, this is a beautiful photograph!
- yes...
J – do you have some more of such photographs?
- no, we don't have...
J – Oh, OK.
more
possess
beautiful
Preeti - that is beautiful.
J – yea, it is really very nice.
- what is this for?
J – we are making a program for channel One about Shivaji Nagar... cable channel
- Cable? This is which TV channel?
Preeti – you have a local cable channel of Shivaji Nagar right?
- yes...
Preeti – this is for that.
cable channel
local
nice
program
shivaji nagar
- this is a very old photo.
J – yes, yes...
- nobody has.
J – Oh.
- this is our generation business. Since 1862.
Preeti – right...
1862
family business
generation
old
photo
possess
year
business
great photo
(English)
J- so you are still doing the same business?
- yea. I am in Goa.
J – you are in Goa?
- yes, I am in Goa.
J – OK, OK...
Preeti – that is so nice.
J – how nice!...
inquire
live
nice
same
stay
goa
(English)
- you are Goan?
J – no, no. We will come, but.
(English)
- nothing nothing. They won't do anything. All are illiterate people. I was the Secretary of this association, but I resigned. All are illiterate people.
J – so they don't have a grasp about here?
- nothing they know.
illiterate
resign
secretary
people
(English)
Preeti – no you were saying what, because of some people...just can you......?
- because of some people this business has gone worse.
business
worse
bad
(English)
Preeti – like, what do they do? Like...
- they have created a bad name.
J – a bad name...
- they buy all sorts of theft(stolen) vehicles. They sell those parts.
buy
goods
infamous
material
name
part
stolen
tainted
vehicle
sell
(English)
- not only in Bangalore, but throughout India.........
Preeti – so you think.....
- this is the worst place.
J – scrap and...
- even I m selling this property....
J – Oh, you are not going to be here....
- no, no. I don't want to be here.
bangalore
india
live
place
property
scrap
want
worst
(English)
J – you think this will run?
- no, there is no future for my children.
J – that is what everybody is saying.
- so I will be sending my son to Dubai Next week..err...Next year...err...
J – Oh this is your son?
- .....Next month.
children
function
future
run
send
son
time
week month
inquire
market
year
continue
(English)
J – you think this market will run for some more years, as the business is more than a hundred years old?
- it could be. This shop is a hundred and twenty years old.
J – so you think this will continue inspite of all the....
- yes....
hundred
hundred and twenty
old
shop
business
Preeti – what do you think, this business will continue or it will get over?
- it will work, if we have to buy theft (stolen) parts.
end
over
work
buy
part
stolen
Preeti – why will that happen?
- why it will happen is because now, those who are legally buying the parts, have to sell them at a costly(higher) rate. Those who sell the theft(stolen) parts sell it for much cheaper.
costly
expensive
explain
high
inquire
legal
reason
sell
cheaper
rate
- they sell it for a cheaper rate.
J - during resale, to avoid....
Preeti – to avoid loss....
J – you don't get a profit during resale....
- yes, we don't get a profit during resale...no profit...
avoid
loss
profit
resale
J – so that is why you are saying that a legal business will not survive.
- the business will survive, but a legal, an honest business, will not.
business
honest
legal
survive
J – if one person is doing wrong,.... (English)
....then slowly it will spread to everybody and everybody will start doing it. ....
- yes, because of some people...not all, just because of some.
begin
everybody
illegal
people
person
slowly
spread
start
wrong
(English)
J – how can they improve this? This is a beautiful market we need....
- yes this is a beautiful market, this is a very old market in the whole of India. This is the first market of secondhand parts. Since our forefathers.
beautiful
condition
entire
first
forefather
india
part
secondhand
situation
improve
inquire
market
old
(English)
- those old persons had founded this...
J – how can we improve this? Is there any way we can make the business better? Improve this place and....
- if our association is strong, then we can make. But there are no strong people here.
began
better
business
found
person
place
start
way
lack
strong
weak
people
(English)
- no strong people...
J – that is your brother is it?
- who?...yea, my younger brother.
Preeti - is he a part of the association?
- yes he is a member, an executive member. I was a Secretary but I resigned.
J – yes..
- we can't bear this...
bear
brother
executive member
part
resign
secretary
tolerate
younger
(English)
- all types of illiterate people are here. They don't have one mind. If someone is saying some good thing, they should agree to that, but they don't agree.
agree
brain
disagree
idea
illiterate
intelligence
mind
type
good
thing
(English)
J – what about this relocation business that the government has been promising for years? Do you think it will happen? Is it a good thing?
- I don't know... it is a dream... if it becomes true then we can say...
dream
government
hope
opinion
promise
relocation
true
unsure
year
business
inquire
(English)
J – how do you think the technology has affected the business? Like computers have come in, has it helped in any way?
- nothing, nothing. It has not affected anything.
help
market
technology
affect
computer
arrival
congest
difference
different
effect
(English)- computer is some other thing and this is some other thing.
(Hindi)Preeti – no as in with the arrival of the software in Bangalore, how has the life...
- our lives, well here, only traffic is a problem. It is very congested. Besides that it has not affected you all in any way?
- no it hasn't..
entry
life
problem
software
traffic
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