Ahmedabad: As the nine-day festival Navratri nears, Rani Ka Hazira in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, is buzzing with shoppers looking for various items, especially jewellery, Chaniya Cholis and festive accessories. The historic market has been known for its imitation and antique jewellery since the time of the fourteenth Mughal emperor, Ahmed Shah Badshah. It is also named after his queen.
During Navratri, an eager crowd fills the narrow lanes to buy jewellery and items for Garba nights. "Jewellery and Chaniya Choli have been available here for the last 40 years," said jeweller Munaf Sheikh, who has run his stall for 15 years.
Sheikh said that before the Navratri festival, a huge crowd visits the market, and they hardly have any place to stand. "We have 300 to 400 varieties of imitation jewellery, priced from Rs 100 to Rs 2,000, so everyone can find something," he said.
Other traders express similar views, saying that Navratri brings unmatched demand. Abdul Latif, who deals in antique designs, said that people come here from across Gujarat to buy everything from earrings and bangles to full sets. "This time of the year means bumper sales. Shoppers often start preparing months in advance, and every year new collections are added," he said.